The festival of Karva Chauth has an extraordinary observance rate among married Hindu women in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. On this day married women keep a fast for the well being and long life of their husbands. The various way of celebrating Karva Chauth vary from each other on regional basis.

Uttar Pradesh: In the plains of Uttar Pradesh, women decorate the walls of their home with drawings of Gauri Ma, the moon and the sun. The evening puja is performed with earthen lamps and the Karva is made of mud. Before looking at the moon, the women pray to the figurines at their doorstep.

Punjab: Karva Chauth is one of the most popular festival among the women of Punjab. When the days are near for Karva Chauth celebrations, the market here is decorated with bangles, beautiful sarees, embroidered suits, stalls of sweets and eatables, a number of artistes have come to the city from Jaipur, Agra and Delhi with their special mehndis to decorate hands of women. In some parts of Punjab, young damsels too keep the fast in the hope of winning a loving husband.

Rajasthan : In Rajasthan, the women make the karvas with mud and fill them with rice and wheat. Most women wear their wedding-day chunris on this occasion. In Gujarat too, many women observe this fast. In Maharashtra, the fast for husband is observed on the full moon day of the month of Jyeshtha which usually falls in May or early June. This is called Vata Purnima. Interestingly, the woman who observes this fast is not only blessed with welfare of her husband but also wins the same husband for the next seven births.

Other States : In Gujarat also many women observe this fast. In Madhya Pradesh most of them follow the traditions of the women from Uttar Pradesh. In all these states the first 'Karva Chauth' of any new bride is a very important festival. New clothes, new jewelery and gifts from both mother and mother-in-law are received. The wedding day outfits are worn once again, mehndi is applied and the family gathers to celebrate it with them. There are many similar stories associated with this festival in different parts of India. In Maharashtra this particular fast is not very popular but a similar one called 'Vaat Savitri' is kept by married women.