2022
- last edited on by
MoniDi
Chhath Puja is a Vedic festival which lasts for four days. This festival is celebrated twice a year:
Chaiti Chhath – In Chaitra month of Vikram Samvat.
Kartik Chhath - in the month of Kartik of Vikram Samvat.
Chhath Puja is dedicated to Sun God and Chhathi Maiya. Chhathi Maiya is also called another name of Goddess Usha and she is the sister of Lord Surya. Special care is taken of cleanliness during Chhath Puja. Garlic and onion are prohibited in puja. Devotional songs are sung in the houses where Chhath Puja is held. At the end of the puja, Prasad is given to the people.
Chhath Puja starts with Nahay-Khay. On the first day, rock salt, Arwa rice made with ghee and pumpkin vegetable are taken as Prasad. Fasting starts from the next day. After giving up food and water throughout the day of fasting, Kheer is prepared from around 7 pm and after worshiping, Prasad is consumed, which is called Kharna. On the third day, Arghya i.e. milk is offered to the setting sun. On the last day, Arghya is offered to the rising sun.
It is said that Chhath Puja started in Munger district of Bihar. According to mythology, Suryaputra Karna belonged to Munger district of Bihar and it was he who first started Chhath Puja by worshiping the Sun. It is said that Karna was a great devotee of Lord Surya and he used to stand in water for hours every day and offer water to him. It was only by the grace of Sun that he became a great warrior. Even today the same tradition of donating Ardhya during Chhath is prevalent.
At the same time, according to religious belief, Mother Sita also first performed Chhath Puja on the banks of Ganga in Munger, Bihar. According to Valmiki Ramayana, when she was on exile with Ram, she performed Chhath Puja for six days. The footprints of Mata Sita are still present on the western bank of Babua Ganga Ghat in Munger. These are inscribed on a huge stone, on which are the footprints of both Ram and Sita. A huge temple has also been built there.
Chhath Puja is called a great festival of folk faith. It is said that this festival is the biggest festival of Maithil, Magahi, and Bhojpuri people. This is their culture and is celebrated with great pomp in Bihar.
