Chhath Puja Is An Emotion For Every Hindu

Chhath Puja is not just the festival, but it is the deeply deep-seated emotion that exceeds the rituals as well as finds its place in the very soul of every Hindu, and as the millions of devotees gather by riverbanks along with the water bodies across India, their hearts swell with devotion, gratitude,  and the collective sense of the reverence towards the nature and the divine. Nonetheless, this ancient festival of the Hindu religion is known for its deep-rooted traditions is the unique celebration of the Sun God (Surya Dev)  as well as the goddess Chhathi Maiya, and it symbolizes purity, self-discipline along with the eternal bond between humans and the universe.

Origin and historical importance

The roots of the Chhath Puja trace back to the Vedic period and the time when the ancient advisors (Rishis), as well as the kings, performed elaborate rituals to honor the Sun, the ultimate source of life and the name “Chhath” derives from the Sanskrit word for six as the puja is experiential on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartika, shortly after Diwali and the historical stories surrounding this festival are the rich with the mythological references. Nevertheless, one such story speaks of Draupadi from the Mahabharata, who upon the advice of sages as well as performed the Chhath rituals to seek the blessings for the well-being of her family during their outcast.

Some 200 year old paintings of Chhath puja……..🚩

Which was started by Maa Sita during the Ramayana period. pic.twitter.com/HlnYZZCgfd

— ऋतम् 🍁 स्मृति (@the__ritam) November 7, 2024

Another popular tale that connects the Chhath Puja with Lord Rama and Sita as well as it is believed that after returning to Ayodhya from their 14-year exile, Rama and Sita experiential the Chhath Puja to express gratitude to the Sun God, and this act of admiration set the example for the people of Ayodhya as well as making it the tradition that has suffered for the centuries. Thus, the Chhath Puja became the festival of the masses, developing from the royal ritual to the celebration deeply intertwined into the cultural fabric of northern India.

On this point, the philosophical perception of the Chhath Puja underlines the importance of the Sun as the symbol of divinity, power and sustenance as well, and it is believed that the Sun God provides health, prosperity, along with permanency, which makes this festival the powerful look of human gratitude towards the celestial being who governs the cycles of life.

Rituals, along with traditions

Chhath Puja is the festival of the four days, which is marked by a series of elaborate rituals, each signifying the step towards purification as well as divine connection. The first day, known as Nahay Khay, starts with the devotees bathing in the river or pond to cleanse themselves, both physically and spiritually, and they then prepare the simple meal, typically consisting of rice, dal as well as the pumpkin sabzi cooked without onion or garlic to maintain the purity.

On the second day is Kharna then, here the devotees undertake the rigorous fast from sunrise to sunset without consuming even a drop of water. This fast is broken after sunset with the special prasad made of kheer (rice pudding), chapati as well as fruits, and it symbolizes the nutrition provided by nature.

Moving forward, on the third day, Sandhya Arghya is the most spectacular part of Chhath Puja, and as the Sun sets, the families gather by the riverbanks and hold the baskets of bamboo filled with offerings such as Thekua (a traditional sweet made of wheat flour as well as jaggery), sugarcane, coconut along with fruits. Moreover, the devotees stand waist-deep in the water, and they offer prayers to the setting sun, a practice that symbolizes the end of the day as well as the life cycle. This ritual is an emotional moment as the devotees pray for the well-being of their families and express their gratitude for the gifts of life.

Last but not least, the final day, which is known as Usha Arghya, is dedicated to the rising Sun. Here, the devotees return to the riverbanks early in the morning to offer their prayers to the first rays of the Sun, and this act represents the renewal and hope as well as the start of the new cycle of life. Lastly, the fast is finally broken, and the prasad is shared among family and friends, as well as signifying the end of the puja with a sense of communal joy and fulfilment.

Importance of Chhath Puja

The importance of the Chhath puja holds profound spiritual, cultural, along emotional significance. Unlike the other festivals of the Hindu that involve idol worship, Chhath Puja is separate in its worship of the visible deity, the Sun and this practice is the direct acknowledgment of the life-giving force of the Sun, which is admired as the source of health, wealth along with the prosperity.

Nevertheless, it is a time when the devotees come together to offer their gratitude for the blessings of life and make it the unifying force across the different communities. However,  the emotional connection of Chhath Puja is especially strong among the people from Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, where the festival is renowned with unparalleled fervor and for many families, it is an annual homecoming event where even those living abroad make it the point to return to their roots.

Regional celebrations, along with the global presence

While Chhath Puja is most popular in Bihar, Jharkhand, along with Uttar Pradesh, it has progressively gained importance in other parts of India as well as even abroad thanks to the migration of the Indian diaspora. In Delhi, Mumbai, as well as the Kolkata ghats, are constructed to accommodate the large number of devotees who cannot travel back home and these urban celebrations reflect the flexibility of the tradition as well as its adaptability to the new environments. Finally, for many migrant families, observing the Chhath Puja in a foreign land is a way of staying connected to their heritage and bringing the piece of home with them wherever they go.

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