BEAUTY GUIDE: THE SECRET TO RADIANT BEAUTY THIS KARVA CHAUTH

Karva Chauth is upon us, the day when women observe a fast restricting food and water till they see the moon. It is believed that this fast is done to either be blessed with a good husband or for those who are married; their husbands are blessed with a long and happy life. This festival is celebrated on the fourth day or Chauth of Kartik month, the holiest month in the Hindu calendar. Fasting women are fussed over by their mothers-in-law and husbands along with other members of the family. Dressing up is a huge part of this day as well. The elusive moon sighting is often celebrated with great communal fervour. While there is great romance in these ritualistic and cultural practices, one cannot forget the primary benefit of fasting is to detox and rest your overworked system.

As the warmth of the sun grows distant we adopt auspicious rituals of fire to maintain a strong Tejas through the cooler months. The month of Kartik provides a salubrious environment to rejuvenate skin cells. If you have ever considered an all-natural skincare regime then this is the time of year for a favourable start. While karva Chauth is a day to celebrate the love between spouses, it is only fitting to start with some self-love. To make radiant beauty divine we must strive to achieve brilliant ‘Ojas’ (immune mechanism and bodily tissue), excellent ‘Tejas’ (cellular intelligence and metabolic activity) and vibrant ‘Prana’ (life force and flow of communication). We must also work on flushing out Ama (toxic waste) and balancing the three Doshas–Vata (principle of movement including neuro-electrical impulses) Pitta (metabolic fire responsible for digestion, absorption and assimilation of nutrition) Kapha (building block material like protein and fat). But often, even in a spiritual science like Ayurveda, beauty is true, skin deep. Skin is the reflection of what is going on deep inside, even down to our organs and is used in clinical observations and diagnosis of ailments. So we must make great efforts to keep our skin beautiful and radiant.