Ramesh Sarraf
Chhath Puja is celebrated with great pomp and show after Diwali. During this festival, a special festivity is seen from homes to the ghats. Chhath Puja begins on the Chaturthi Tithi of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of the month of Kartik and concludes on the Saptami Tithi. During this time, worshipping Chhathi Maiya holds special significance. This fast is observed without water. According to religious belief, worshipping Chhathi Maiya and observing the fast bestows long life upon children and brings happiness and peace to the family.
Chhath Puja is a festival dedicated to the worship of Lord Surya. The tradition of worshipping Surya has existed in India since the Vedic period. This is a very important festival celebrated in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and is celebrated with great pomp and show throughout the country. Chhath Puja is not just a festival, but a grand festival that lasts for four days. This festival, which begins with Nahay Khay and ends with offering prayers to the rising Sun, has its own historical significance.
In our country, there are many famous folk festivals dedicated to the worship of the Sun, which are celebrated with different customs in different regions. Given the significance of Surya Shashthi, this festival is known as Surya Chhath or Daala Chhath. This festival is celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and the Terai region of Nepal, as well as in all the metropolitan areas of the country where people from these regions reside. Furthermore, Indian immigrants abroad, including Mauritius, Trinidad, Sumatra, and Java, celebrate Chhath with great faith and enthusiasm. The special worship of the setting sun is the festival of Chhath. Everyone pays obeisance to the rising sun.
In the cultural tradition of Chhath, a four-day fast is observed. This fast begins on the third day of Bhaiya Dooj, i.e., the Chaturthi Tithi of the Shukla Paksha (waxing moon). The first day of the fast is called Naha-Kha, which literally means eating after bathing. On this day, devotees bathe in the holy river. Originally, this festival was celebrated by housewives, but nowadays, men also contribute equally.
The Sun is the greatest source of energy. Therefore, the scriptures consider the Sun to be God. Imagine living for even a few days without the Sun. Its daily rising is essential for their survival. With a similar vision, the people of Northeast India worship the Sun through the Chhath festival. This festival is generally celebrated with great pomp in Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Chhath Puja has been declared a grand festival and a government holiday has been declared.
The Chhath Puja fast is dedicated to the Sun God, Usha, nature, water, and air. By observing this fast, childless couples are blessed with children. There are many historical stories about who started the Chhath festival. After conquering Lanka and establishing Ramrajya, Lord Rama and Mother Sita fasted and worshipped the Sun God on Kartik Shukla Shashthi. On Saptami, at sunrise, they performed rituals and received blessings from the Sun God. Chhath Puja is celebrated to commemorate this occasion. The mythological significance of Chhath has persisted since time immemorial. During the Ramayana period, Sita performed Chhath Puja on the banks of the Ganges. During the Mahabharata period, Kunti also worshipped the Sun God on the banks of the Saraswati River. As a result, she was blessed with sons like the Pandavas. Draupadi also left Hastinapur and performed Chhath Puja at Garh Ganga. Chhath Puja is also related to Hatha Yoga, where one must stand in water continuously without eating, thus eliminating impure bacteria in the body.
The tradition of Chhath festival also holds scientific and astrological significance. Shashthi Tithi is a special astronomical occasion. During the time when the sun is in the southern hemisphere, the sun’s ultraviolet rays of the Dakshinayan period accumulate on the earth in greater quantities than usual. These harmful rays directly affect the eyes, stomach, and skin of the general public. Observance of this festival ensures that the public is protected from the harm caused by these ultraviolet rays. This is the purpose behind Surya Puja. The Chhath Puja fast is also linked to the happiness, prosperity, and health of the family. The primary purpose of this fast is to pray for the well-being of all family members, including husband, wife, son, and grandson.
According to folk tradition, the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya have a brother-sister relationship. Therefore, worshipping the Sun on the occasion of Chhath is considered fruitful. Chhath Puja, or Chhath festival, is celebrated on the Shashthi Tithi of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of Kartik month. Considering the mythological beliefs and folk tales associated with Chhath, we learn that it was a major festival of the ancient Suryavanshi kings of India. Chhath is also associated with the tradition of worshipping Skanda. The six Krittikas (wives of the goddesses) breastfed and protected the child Skanda, born from the radiance of Lord Shiva. This is why Skanda has six faces and is known as Kartikeya. Due to her association with Kartik, Shashthi Devi is also worshipped as Skanda’s wife, Devasena.
According to one belief, the Chhath festival was first initiated during the Mahabharata period by Karna, the son of Surya, by worshipping the Sun. Karna was a great devotee of Lord Surya and would stand waist-deep in water for hours daily, offering arghya to the Sun. It was through Surya’s grace that he became a great warrior. This tradition of offering arghya during Chhath continues to prevail today. Another story about the Chhath festival tells that Draupadi observed the Chhath fast after the Pandavas lost their entire kingdom in gambling. Through this fast, their wish was fulfilled, and the Pandavas regained their kingdom.
The great festival of Chhath is the only festival in Hinduism in which not only the rising sun but also the setting sun is worshipped. It is believed that Goddess Chhath is the sister of the Sun God, and to appease her, the Sun is worshipped. The festival begins with Nahay-Khaay, when devotees bathe and eat a meal of Arwa rice, gram dal, and pumpkin vegetable. On the second day of Nahay-Khaay, i.e., Kartik Shukla Paksha Panchami, devotees fast throughout the day and in the evening, they partake of roti and kheer made from jaggery. This ritual is called Kharna. The following day, on the sixth day of Kartik Shukla Paksha, devotees observe a fast and offer prayers to the setting sun in the evening. The fast is broken by offering prayers to the rising sun in the morning on the seventh day.
Whoever observes the Chhath Puja fast. He does not even consume water during these days. Observing this fast brings happiness, prosperity, and the fulfillment of all desires. While this puja primarily involves worshipping the Sun God, his sister, Chhath Devi, is also worshipped, giving it the name Chhath Puja. On this day, men and women gather at the river bank and perform rituals. Worshiping Chhath Mata is also believed to be beneficial for your children.
(The author is a freelance journalist accredited by the Rajasthan government.)
