Ludhiana: From mehndi appointments and nail art to matching bangles and designer outfits, Ludhiana slipped into Karva Chauth mode Wednesday, a day before the festival, as women thronged markets and salons to put the finishing touches to their festive look.The biggest rush was at mehndi stalls and studios, where prices ranged from Rs 200 for simple patterns to Rs 5,100 for elaborate designs. At some places, the crowd grew enough for artists to introduce a token system.Sangeeta, a mehndi artist on Haibowal Road, said women had started coming in from Sunday, but the rush peaked on Wednesday. “We had to introduce tokens to manage the crowd,” she said, adding that trained artists had been deployed to cater to customers.For many, however, Karva Chauth is going beyond the traditional fast to become a day of shared celebrations. Anita Gupta, a resident of Sargodha Colony, said she planned to celebrate with family and friends. She said some husbands were also observing the fast for their wives.Groups of women, meanwhile, have planned get-togethers around the traditional evening katha. Bhavna Sharma of Gurdev Nagar said her group would gather at a friend’s home for the katha before settling down for games and conversations.The festive buzz has spilled into city markets too. Shops selling apparel, jewellery, bangles and accessories reported brisk business as women hunted for outfits and matching accessories.Gurpreet Singh, a shopkeeper in Model Town, said customer footfall had picked up and designer dresses and matching jewellery were drawing buyers.
