Chhath Puja October 28 to October 31, 2022
Chhath Puja is a celebration that is exclusively linked to the veneration of the mighty Sun God. Chhath puja, the sole festival that has survived from the Vedic era, is inextricably linked to nature worship for the sake of humanity. This celebration honors Lord Surya, who stands for the enduring source of life and nutrition on this planet, and expresses appreciation to him.
The Chhath celebration is a crucial component of Bihar, Jharkhand, and some regions of Uttar Pradesh’s culture. The festival’s two “aragyas,” or offerings of river water to Lord Surya, occur simultaneously with the rising and setting of the sun when the Sun God exhibits his utmost might. Millions of followers who travel to worship Lord Surya are inspired by the morning splendor of the rising sun and the majesty of the evening sun. When a devotee performs the procedures of the puja wholeheartedly, Chhath puja in Bihar is also related to desire fulfillment.
Chhath puja is widely observed in Bihar and has recently gained popularity in Delhi, which has a sizable Bihari immigrant population. On the banks of the Ganges, Yamuna, or any other clean river, participants in the rites typically fast and say prayers.
The first day is characterized by a dawn dip in the holy Ganga or Yamuna to purify the body before preparing “Prasad,” or a sacrifice. The day after that is dedicated to keeping a strict fast till dusk. On this special day, known as “kharna,” worshippers make the delicious treat “kheer.” The devotee restarts the fast, which lasts for 36 hours, or until the sunset of the third day, after breaking it at night with the “prasad.
” On the third day’s evening, a traditional puja is held, during which devotees make little earthen “diyas” and floral offerings along the banks of the river. After this procedure, the followers break their fast. It is an experience to join the sea of people swarming the banks of rivers to see this ceremony and sing chhath songs.
The celebrations around Chhath puja include a great amount of devotional music. Everywhere you turn, “Chhath geet” can be heard, adding to the festive atmosphere. Before dawn, crowds of people in traditional attire swarm the riverbank to see the “arghya.”
