No other Bollywood film has captured Karwa Chauth as much as Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, with bejewelled ladies in a row on a sprawling terrace with the moon in full view and Aishwarya Rai at the height of her beauty. Now Karwa Chauth is a festival celebrated everywhere, much like Dhanteras, having transcended boundaries of communities to become a national shopping extravaganza as well.

Strange are the times in 2020. No shopping, no parlouring, no mehndi-ing on the Gariahat pavement. Yet social media was erupting with KC frenzy. From glittering KC puja thalis that had wire mesh sieves wrapped in textiles matching your KC outfit, to alluring mehndi videos that intricately drew loving couples gazing at the moon, to the seriously embellished saris and gowns, shararas, and ghagras, predominantly in sringar red. Pinterest showed Alia in a sleevless wine-coloured salwar suit, though she isn’t a bahu yet. There were oranges galore and pinks. Deepika was used to recommend three KC looks in — you guessed it right — a Sabyasachi pink. Kajol, Shilpa Shetty, Bipasha Basu, all looked at the moon in their KC finery. There was the occasional teal and pink combination, the yellow and green too. One was spoilt for choice.

But if there was one defining look for KC 2020, it was the demure one, with eyes downcast. That helped to show off the glitter on the eye cast with such effort and efficacy, the pronounced red sindoor and the red bindi that so quintessentially captures the image of weddedness, and the heavy bangles dangle from wrist to elbow, the choker descends from the neck to the shoulder.

Next year we would like to see the hubbies fast — and dress up, big time.