The lone festival in which both rising and setting sun is worshipped, showing what has risen will set , and what has set will rise.
Chhath is not a festival it’s
an emotion for many people. People
worship sun for the four days, which begins this year on November 8 and ends
November 11. The states which religiously observe the rituals are Bihar, Jharkhand
and Uttar Pradesh, and also Madhesh, the southern region of Nepal.
Interestingly, Chhath is mentioned in both
Ramayana and Mahabharata, two of the most important Hindu epics. In Ramayana,
Goddess Sita performed the puja on the day Ram-Rajya the kingdom of Lord Ram
was established, and in Mahabharata, it was performed by Pandava-mother Kunti
after they escaped from Lakshagrih, the palace made of lacquer, which was burnt
to the ground.
Chhath Puja is an ancient Hindu Vedic
festival which is
dedicated to the solar deity
Lord Surya and his sister Shashthi Devi (Chhathi Maiya). Devotees usually thank
them for their bestowment — that of life on Earth. The first day of the festival is known as Nahay Khay.
People take a holy dip in a water body.
Women, who do the puja, have only a single meal.The second day is known as Kharna. On this day, people fast without water from sunrise to sunset. The fast is broken after sunset.Another full-day fast, without water, is observed on the third day, which is the main day of Chhath Puja.
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Offering arghya to the setting sun is the main ritual. Fasting continues throughout the night.On the fourth and final day, arghya is given to the rising sun, and it is called Usha Arghya.