13 Karwa Chauth Alternatives for Modern Couples

8. Alternative 8: Cooking Together — Sargi and Feast

Make the day about food and family memory by turning sargi and the evening meal into a joint cooking project. Choose recipes with emotional meaning—chai and halwa from dadi’s notes, a regional sabzi that reminds you of home, or a new fusion dish that blends ancestral flavors with local ingredients. Split tasks so both partners participate: one handles the dough while the other prepares the stuffing, or one makes the halwa while the other sets the thali. Invite close family or keep it just for two. The act of cooking together creates conversation and hands-on care, which is fitting for a festival centered on nourishing another person. Add a small ritual moment before the meal: a short spoken intention, the lighting of a lamp, or a ring of bells. For couples in the U.S., sourcing a few specific spices or ingredients ahead of time helps—a visit to a local Indian grocery can be part of the day’s ritual. Food-based celebrations are inclusive and particularly good when health or fasting is a concern.