Chhath Puja

Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival, native to eastern India and southern Nepal. It is celebrated especially in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Eastern Uttar Pradesh; and Koshi, Gandaki, Bagmati, Lumbini and Madhesh provinces of Nepal. In major Indian and Nepalese urban centres like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kathmandu, the diaspora actively participates in celebrating Chhath, preserving their cultural heritage. The festival is also celebrated by the diaspora in countries such as the United States, Australia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Mauritius, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

During Chhath Puja, prayers are dedicated to the solar deity, Surya, to express gratitude for the blessings of life on Earth and to seek the fulfilment of personal wishes. The Hindu goddess Chhathi Maiya (or Chhathi Mata)—the sixth form of Prakriti and Surya's sister—is also worshipped during the festival. It is celebrated for six days after Deepavali or Tihar, until the sixth day of the lunar month of Kartika (October or November) in the Hindu calendar (Vikram Samvat), which is why it is called 'Surya Shashti Vrata'. The rituals are observed over three nights and four days, and include holy bathing, fasting, abstaining from drinking water as a ''vrata'' (devotion), standing in water, and offering '' prasada'' (prayer offerings of food) and '' arghya'' to the rising and setting of the Sun. Some devotees also perform a prostration march as they head towards the riverbanks. All devotees prepare similar ''prasada'' and offerings.

Environmentalists have claimed that the festival of Chhath is one of the most eco-friendly religious festivals.

Significance

Chhath Puja is dedicated to Surya, the Sun God, as it is thought that the sun is visible to every being and is the basis of life of all creatures on Earth. Chhathi Maiya (or Chhathi Mata) is also worshipped on this day. According to Vedic astrology, Chhathi Maiya grants children long life and good health by shielding them from illnesses and diseases.

Description

Chhath Puja is a folk festival that lasts four days. It starts with Kartik Shukla Chaturthi and ends with Kartik Shukla Saptami. Chhath is celebrated twice a year:
# Chaiti Chhath – observed in the Chaitra month of Vikram Samvat.
# Kartik Chhath – celebrated at a very large scale in the Kartika month of Vikram Samvat.
The main worshippers, called (, from Sanskrit ''parva'', meaning 'occasion' or 'festival'), are usually women. However, men also observe this festival as Chhath is not a gender-specific festival. The pray for the well-being of their family, and for the prosperity of their children.

''Nahaay khaay'' (day 1)

On the first day of Chhath Puja, the ''parvaitin'' must take a holy bath, after which the entire house, its surroundings, and pathways to the ghat are thoroughly cleaned. ''Parvaitin'' usually cook sattvik ''lauka bhaat'' (bottle gourd and Bengal gram lentil, with Arva rice), which is served in the afternoon to the deity as ''bhog'' (consecrated food). This initiates the festival. The food is then eaten by the ''parvaitin'' to protect the mind from thoughts of vengeance; it is the ''parvaitin'''s the last meal during the festival.

''Kharna / Rasiaav-roti / Lohanda'' (day 2)

Kharna, also known as Rasiaav-roti or Lohanda, is the second day of Chhath Puja. On this day, as an act of worship, devotees do not drink even a single drop of water. In the evening, they eat ''gur ke kheer'' (kheer made of jaggery), called ''rasiaav'', together with roti.

''Sandhya arghya'' (day 3)

This day is spent by preparing the ''prasada'' (food offerings) at home, which often consist of ''thekua'' (cookies), rice ''laddu'' sweets, ''khajuria'', ''tikri'', ''kasar'', and fruits (mainly sugarcanes, sweet lime, coconut, banana, and seasonal fruits) offered in small bamboo baskets. The food is strictly vegetarian and is cooked without salt, onions, or garlic. Emphasis is placed on maintaining the purity of the food.

In the evening, the entire household accompanies the devotee to a riverbank, pond, or other large body of water to make the '' arghya'' offerings to the setting sun. Where there is no river or pond, an indoor setup such as a tank or fountain is used. In certain places there are restrictions on using beaches for puja. Besides the devotees and their friends and family, other participants and onlookers help and receive the worshipper's blessings.

When making ''arghya'', Gangajal water is offered to Surya, and Chhathi Maiya is worshipped with the ''prasada''. After the worship of the Sun God, participants sing Chhath songs in the night and read the ''Vrat katha''.

After returning home, devotees perform the ritual of ''kosi bharai'' together with other family members. They tie together 5–7 sugarcanes to form a '' mandap'' beneath which 12–24 ''diya'' (lamps) are burnt and ''thekua'' and seasonal fruits are offered. The same ritual is repeated the next morning between 3 am and 4 am, and afterward the devotees offer ''arghya'' or other offerings to the rising sun.

''Usha arghya'' (day 4)

At dawn on the last day of Chhath Puja, worshippers travel to the riverbank to offer ''arghya'' to the rising sun. After making this holy offering, parents pray to Chhatti Maiya for their child's protection as well as the happiness and peace of their whole family. After worship, followers participate in the ''Paran'' or ''Parana'' rite, breaking their fast with a small amount of ''prasada'' and water. This rite emphasises the connection between family well-being and divine favours, serving as a symbol of thanksgiving and spiritual closure.

Rituals and traditions

In some communities, once a family member starts performing Chhath Puja, they are duty-bound to perform it every year and to pass it on to the following generations. The festival is skipped only if there is a death in the family that year. If the person stops performing the ritual on any particular year, it stops permanently and one cannot resume it. In other communities, this is not mandatory.

File:Gangi River, Arrah.jpg, Chhath celebration at Gangi River in Arrah
File:Chhat Puja Worship Material.jpg, Chhath Puja worship material
File:Chatt Puja Celebration 1.jpg, Woman praying during Chhath
File:Chatt Puja Celebration 2.jpg, Women waiting with ''prasada'' for offerings
File:Ghadiarwa-Park-Birgunj-04.jpg, View of decorated Ghadiarwa pond on the occasion of Chhath festival, Birgunj, Nepal
File:Chhat Puja at Inaruwa 06.jpg, Chhath Puja at Inaruwa, Sunsari District, Koshi Province
File:Chhath Puja Sandhya Ghats Malangwa Bhelhi Sarlahi 3.jpg, Sandhya Ghat at Jhim River, located between Malangwa and Brahmapuri, Sarlahi (November 2021)
File:Chatt 7.jpg, Chhath Puja celebration at Azimganj

History and associated legends

Chhath has been mentioned in both the major Indian epics. In the ''Ramayana'', when Rama and Sita returned to Ayodhya, people celebrated Deepavali, and on its sixth day the ''Ramarajya'' () was established. On this day Rama and Sita fasted, and Surya Shashthi and Chhath Puja was performed by Sita. Hence, she was blessed with Lava and Kusha as sons.

In Champaran (Bihar, India) and Madhesh Province (Nepal), it is a belief that after leaving Ayodhya, Sita stayed in Valmiki Ashram located on the edge of the Narayani (Gandaki) river in Chitwan district, on the India–Nepal border. During that time, she celebrated Chhath Mahaparva in Nepal.

In the ''Mahabharata'', Chhath Puja was performed by Kunti after she (and the Pandavas) escaped from Lakshagriha. It is also believed that Karna, the son of Surya and Kunti, was conceived after Kunti performed Chhath Puja. Draupadi is also said to have performed the Puja for the Pandavas to win the Kurukshetra War. It is believed that Draupadi performed Chhath Puja near a spring in Nagdi village of Ranchi. In this village today, the festival is performed near this spring, not the river or pond.

The ''Brahma Vaivarta Purana'' mentions that Chhathi Maiya is worshipped during the Chhath festival. It says that the Chhath Puja was started in the holy city of Varanasi by the Gahadavala dynasty. According to the ''Kashi Khanda'', the trend of Chhath Puja spread from Varanasi to elsewhere in the country.

According to another legend, King Priyavrata, son of first Manu Svayambhu, was unhappy because he had no children. To remedy this, Kashyapa asked him to do a ''yajna''. Shortly after, a son was born to Queen Malini; however, the baby was born dead. Following the stillbirth, the king and his family were heartbroken. Finding sympathy for the royal family, Mata Shashthi revealed herself in the sky. When the king prayed to her, she spoke, saying: "I am Chhathi Maiya the sixth form of Prakriti. I protect all the children of the world and give the blessings of children to all childless parents." After this, the goddess blessed the lifeless child with her hands, so that he came to life. Thankful for Shashthi Devi's grace, the king worshipped the goddess. It is believed that after this puja, this festival became a worldwide celebration.

It is also believed that there was an ashram Kashyapa and Aditi in the Buxar region. Mata Aditi gave birth to Surya as a son on the sixth day of Kartika. Surya is also called Aditya because he is the son of Aditi. For this reason, Chhath Puja is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Surya and the month of Kartika is considered a holy month throughout the year.

In Munger region, the festival is known for its association with ''Sita manpatthar'' (or ''Sita Charan''; ). It is believed that the goddess Sita performed Chhath festival in Munger. Sitacharan Temple, situated on a boulder in the middle of the Ganges River in Munger, is the main center of public faith regarding the Chhath festival.

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Culture of Bihar
Culture of Mithila
Festivals in Bihar
Hindu festivals
Hindu festivals in Nepal
October observances
November observances
Public holidays in Nepal
Religious festivals in India
Water and Hinduism
Culture of Madhesh
Culture of Lumbini