Chhath Puja is one of the most ancient and rigorous Hindu festivals, dedicated to the worship of Surya (the Sun God) and his sister Chhathi Maiya (Goddess Usha). Celebrated six days after Diwali in the month of Kartik (October-November), this four-day festival is predominantly observed in Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal, though its reach has expanded across India due to migration. Chhath is unique as it involves no idol worship - devotees pray directly to the Sun, the visible source of all energy on earth.
The festival's origin is deeply rooted in Vedic traditions. The Rigveda contains hymns dedicated to the worship of the Sun, and the rituals of Chhath closely follow Vedic protocols of worshipping natural elements. The festival is also associated with Draupadi from the Mahabharata, who is believed to have observed this fast on the advice of sage Dhaumya. Another legend connects it to Karna, the son of Surya, who was a great devotee of the Sun God.
The four days of Chhath are demanding and require tremendous discipline. Day one, Nahay Khay, involves ritual bathing and eating a single sattvic meal. Day two, Kharna, is a complete fast from sunrise to sunset, broken only after offering prasad to the setting sun. Day three, Sandhya Arghya, is the main day when devotees stand waist-deep in water bodies - rivers, ponds, or specially constructed ghats - offering arghya (water offerings) to the setting sun. Day four, Usha Arghya, involves the final offering to the rising sun at dawn, after which the 36-hour nirjala fast is broken.
The devotion displayed during Chhath is awe-inspiring. Devotees prepare elaborate prasad including thekua (wheat and jaggery cookies), fruits arranged in bamboo baskets (soop), and sugarcane. The festival demands strict vegetarianism, cleanliness, and isolation of the fasting devotee. The ghats of Patna, Varanasi, and Delhi's Yamuna banks come alive with millions of devotees during Chhath, creating a spectacle of faith that is unmatched in its discipline and devotion.
