The frequent bursts of red and gold

The rapid jingles within wrists fold

The vibrant North Indian women

With marital promises in hearts fold

Giggling away with naughtiness bold

With Henna patterns as good omen

A display of stories on palms are told

Bangles a plenty of glass, or metal gold

Fasting for their love, their wedded men

The Sargi from a mother’s threshold

Is savored in the pre dawn hours cold

Songs they sing in unison akin to a wren

In evening hours in groups the maidens behold

Sitting encircled chanting songs bellowed

Married women sing praises of their men

Emergence of the crescent from the cloud fold

A time to pray in the moonlight’s mould

Prayers sacred every now and then

In each woman’s heartbeat can be trolled

Her husband by her beauty totally bowled

Feeds her a morsel and a sip in hasten

Thus celebrated the Karva Chauth doled

 

Sikiladi

 

In The Media:

Published in the Diwali edition Coffee Table Book 2017 of The Asian Weekly: