Like Karvachouth in other parts of the country, Kunchoth a local festival being celebrated with enthusiasm and religious fervur in Doda and Bhaderwah area of Jammu region today.
What is it all about :
As many families from the district have migrated to Jammu, the people here also celebrated the festival with great fervour. The festival envisages a message for the union of two souls and the sustainability of respect and honour for each other. The women keep fast for their husbands and offer special prayer for their good health, long and healthy life.
As symbol of festivities and celebrations, the wives dedicate themselves by undergoing fast for the entire day on the name of their husbands, visit the temples to perform special Pooja, clad in traditional marriage dress and wearing ornaments and looking like newly-wed. They move in large groups jointly to the temples of Lord Shiva and Parvati and offer special Pooja carrying Pooja items in pots (Thali).
Moreover, the fraternity performs the same activity by adding an ethical mark of `Charanbandana’ in lieu of which coconut is gifted to the `bower’ (wife). Over all, the magnitude of this festival, makes the society to understand the respect honour and dignity between husband and wife and the cultural discipline among the families.