The auspicious festival of Karwa Chauth in which women observe a day-long fast for their husbands is almost here. Karwa Chauth which will be celebrated on November 4 will witness wives praying for their husbands' well-being and prosperity and breaking their fast only after sighting the moon.
Several states across India are known for making 'solah shringar' items for women and one of them is Uttar Pradesh. UP is known for numerous famous things and is also noted for manufacturing sarees, bindis, bangles, kajal, etc.
Several cities in UP are popular for manufacturing products that women use in their daily lives.
Uttar Pradesh's Balliya is well-known for making 'bindis' for women. These are produced in large numbers and are also supplied to the other parts of the country.
Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow and Varanasi are famous for making nose rings for women. Tehri which is now in Uttarakhand and was part of UP before UK was formed, is also well-known for its nose rings.
Besides zardozi, 'meenakari' is also famous in Varanasi. The workers here color and ornament the surface of metals by fusing over its brilliant colors and decorate it in an intricate design.
Lucknow is also famous for carving (chikankari) and shaping jewellery. Here, it's done on earrings, bracelets and any other jewel and the fine Lucknow touch makes jewellery even more beautiful.
UP's Kannauj is famous for its 'itras'. The fragrances are available in sandalwood, jasmine, 'kewra', and many other types.
Firozabad's bangles are very famous across the country.
You might have heard of Bareilly's 'Jhumke' but besides the earrings, the western UP city's 'surma' is also very famous. It's said that Bareilly's 'surma' is also beneficial for the eyes.
Etah in Uttar Pradesh is a city that deals in works related to brass and metal. Apart from the utensils here, the city is also popular for its anklet bells (ghungroo).
Banarasi sarees in Varanasi, these are not just famous across India but are also a top choice for women across the world.