How to Bond with Your Sasu Maa on Karwa Chauth and 10 Charming Gifts for Mother-In-Law That Will Put a Smile on Her Face (2020)

Karva Chauth is an important day for all married Indian women, especially in North India. It is celebrated on the 4th day after the full moon day in the month of “Kartik” as per the Hindu lunar calendar. On this day, the moon is believed to be a representation of Lord Shiva. With great fervour, married women observe a day-long “nirjala” fast, i.e., fasting without food and water, for their husbands’ safety and longevity.

These days, even young unmarried women or those who are engaged, observe this fast in the hopes of getting the perfect suitor for them. What’s more interesting is that many married men also support their wives by keeping a fast on this auspicious day! Now, isn’t that a wonderful way to express your love to your loving partner?

So, dear daughter-in-law, while there may be a lot of pressure on you to follow the rituals and keep the day-long fast, do make some efforts to make the day special and memorable for your mother-in-law as well. Below, we present to you some fun-loving ideas and gifts suggestions to make this day memorable for her!

Nothing beats retail therapy, right? So, go ahead, and take your mother-in-law shopping a couple of days before Karva Chauth. There are so many things required to perform rituals such as sieve or chhalani, mehndi, jewellery, clothes, pooja ki thali, Karva, specific food items and sweets for the sargi, and much more. Check out the local markets and indulge in some street shopping!

If both you and your mother-in-law are fasting, you would know it is not an easy task and requires much mind control. So, to keep yourself distracted from the feeling of hunger and thirst, it is a good idea to keep yourself busy in some fun activities. Consider binge-watching some TV series you both enjoy or stepping out for a movie (minus the popcorn and samosas!). If you prefer to chill indoors, you can relive nostalgic memories by touring through family photo albums, listening to music, or having a karaoke party! Choose an activity that will allow you to bond and spend some quality time together, but make sure it is not something that exerts the two of you, as the evening is going to be quite eventful!

One of the beautiful rituals of Karva Chauth is the exchange of “baya”. Baya is a gift that the mother-in-law presents to her daughter-in-law. It could include money, jewellery, dry fruit or nuts, apparel, or cosmetics. Conventionally, however, the festival is celebrated by exchanging baya with other women in your community as well. So, make the most of this eventful day and partner with your mother-in-law to go out together and share appreciative gifts with friends and relatives. This is a great way to also socialize with other women in your community.

With your mother-in-law doing so much for you on the day of Karva Chauth, why not plan a return gift for her to thank her for her earnest efforts and to seek her happy blessings? Here is a list of gifts that you can consider for your mother-in-law.

Sindoor holds a lot of significance for married women in the Hindu culture. Sindoor, or Vermilion, is a red pigment that is considered extremely auspicious from time immemorial, so a box of sindoor on Karva Chauth will be a very welcome gift idea. You can order a sindoor box from Flipkart for Rs.299 and buy sindoor from a local shop in the neighbourhood. This is a silver-plated sindoor box with a beautiful peacock design. The box measures 7 cm in diameter.

While a sindoor ki dibbi may seem a tiny object, but, with this, you are gifting your mother-in-law age-old beliefs and values, which she will value and appreciate.

A Potli Surprise is a combo of items that your mother-in-law will surely love! The surprise combo is full of essentials that every woman will love to have it in their lifestyle. The combo surprise includes a Maybelline Colossal Kajal, which is the a smudge-proof kajal that she can add to her makeup essentials, two Bournville Chocolates that she can relish after a day-long fast, almonds (100 grams) to add a dose of healthy munchies, and one designer potli for her to make a style statement. You can order this combo surprise on Gift a Love website for Rs. 860.

Women love jewellery; after all, it completes the look and adds glam to an outfit! If your mother-in-law is fond of anklets, then she would love this Indian Traditional Gold-Tone Rhinestone Bridal Anklet by Sparkle World. It is available on Amazon for Rs.375. The anklet is gold-yellow in colour and the material used is alloy and rhinestones. It will be a perfect match for any traditional outfit. It is a free-size anklet which means you don't need to worry about fit and measure, and this can be a surprise gift. The width of the anklet is 8 cm, and the length is 18 cm. Go ahead and add a little bit of sparkle to your mother-in-law’s day by gifting her this beautiful anklet!

Lac bangles are an important part of the Indian culture. Bangles are worn on almost all-important religious ceremonies and rituals as they are considered symbolic of traditional marriage. Lac bangles are usually handcrafted with moulds. You can order the green and red lac bangles set of 10 from Amazon for Rs.399. These are available in three different lengths of 2.4 inches, 2.6 inches and 2.8 inches, which are the usual sizes of bangles.

Lighting earthen diyas or lamps hold a significance of celebrating and believing in good over evil. Popularly referred to as mitti diyas, these are typically lit in Diwali to welcome Goddess Laxmi at home. However, they also make a great gift for Karva Chauth and can be placed at doorsteps, windows, balconies, or even used as décor for the puja area. Order these lamps from Amazon for Rs.200. It comes in a pack of 3 diyas that have been handcrafted using the finest quality of clay.

No Indian occasion is complete without ladoos and sweets and besan ladoos is a mouth full of a treat for any occasion. You can gift your mother-in-law Haldiram's Besan Ladoo for Rs.290. Each packet of Ladoo is 500 grams. The ladoos are 100% vegetarian. This ladoos can be stored for 2 months without any change in texture or taste. So, if your mother-in-law has a sweet tooth, look no further and treat her with some yummy sweets this Karva Chauth.

Red is considered a traditional colour for married women. You can gift red colour printed kurta suit set to your mother-in-law. The best brand to master the art of traditional outfit in India is Biba. You can order the kurta suit set from Ajio for Rs. 2,997. It is the set of kurti, bottom wear and dupatta. The kurti has a round neck with embroidery on sequined neckline. It is paired with palazzo with drawstring closure and semi-elastic waist. The dupatta has floral embroidery on it.

You can gift pooja thali set to your mother-in-law on this auspicious day. You can order the pooja thali set from Flipkart for Rs. 161. The thali has a diya, tamabhya for holy water, and 6 other prayer items included in the set. It is brown in colour and is made of copper and steel. The diameter of the thali is 17 cm.

No woman said she had enough handbags! Gift your mother-in-law a stylish tote bag from Shopper Stop. Priced at Rs.1,499, the Marianne oversized this tote bag is made of cotton. It has a closure with a zip. The dimensions of this tote bag are 14 x 21 cm. The bag is of free size and its strap is short. The delivery of this bag will take place within 5 to 7 days, so be sure to order it well in time.

Worshipping Srimad Bhagavata Gita is as good as worshipping an idol of the Lord. Gifting someone Bhagavad Gita is equal to gifting a book that is of the highest and purest intentions! It is said that whoever keeps Bhagavad Gita at their place is safe from all evil. You can order the Bhagavad Gita from Seniority for Rs.2,449. This book comes in a beautiful wooden box that slides open. Every word in the book is translated in English from Sanskrit and Hindi. It has 700 verse scripture with life lessons for all ages.

If it is your first Karva Chauth, then your in-laws will definitely be taking a lot of steps to ensure your first Karva Chauth is memorable and full of love. Brace yourself to be showered with gifts by your family members, and especially your husband. Drop him hints, if you must and you may thank us later!

The first Sargi includes an array of essentials and gifts, such as cosmetics and most importantly—the meal to be consumed pre-dawn on the day of Karva Chauth. It is typically presented by the mother-in-law. Thinking of your first Karva Chauth might feel scary because staying hungry for the whole long day may be difficult. But, do not worry we have got your back with some useful tips:

Staying hungry and without water for a whole day is not an easy task. It takes much determination. Kudos to all women who have been keeping this fast for years and about to start keeping as well. There will be much moment where you will feel tired. To solve this problem, the best option will be to keep yourselves busy with your hobbies. By hobbies, we mean anything like drawing, writing, watching movies, reading books and so on. However, make sure that it has to be light hobbies where you do not need to go around tiring yourself.

Since it is your first Karva Chauth, you may not be aware of all rituals. You can look for Karva Chauth App on Playstore which has detailed information. Or, simply download it from the link

It is available for both Android and IOS. The app is informative about how to go about rituals, items required for puja, timings, moon timing, videos about how to perform the ritual, etc.

On Karva Chauth day, you will have to stay without water. Now for someone who is not used to fasting, this can make you feel weak or dizzy. To avoid this, prepare your body a few days in advance by increasing your fluid intake in the week before. Also, the night before and when you wake up for sarghi, make sure you drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated through the day. Other than water, you can also opt for drinking coconut water or any juice of your choice.

Practising pranayama early morning will keep you away from feeling light-headed or weak. It will allow you to control your breathing pattern and increase the amount of oxygen in your blood. So, stay energized and make breathing exercises a part of your morning routine; it is helpful to maintain a healthy lifestyle in general!

Many of you start your day with "But First Coffee" but on Karva Chauth day avoid tea and coffee. Both these drinks can dehydrate you very soon dissolving all your energy. Instead, replace these two drinks with milk, juices or energy drink.