Chhath Puja -…Araghya to Sun God

Dear friends…

Today I am going to tell you something about our most favorite festival, “Chhath Puja” which is being celebrated from 18^th Nov to 20^th Nov 2020 .

Chhath Puja is the most important festival for me . Doesn’t matter where I am in the world but I always come home during this time to attend Chhath Puja  and all my  family members come together to enjoy this Puja every year for four days.

Chhath Puja, also known as Sun Shashthi is celebrated on Kartik Shukla Shashthi. This festival is celebrated after 6 days of Diwali and mainly celebrated in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand with great fanfare.

On Chhath Puja, worshiping Sun God and Chhathi maiya helps you gain health, wealth and happiness. In the last few years, Chhath Pooja has got a special significance as a folk festival. This is the reason why the festival is celebrated with great pomp and show.

But due to covid pandemic this year, I am not going to attend this festival at my native place .  This year I will be deprived of that enthusiasm as I am away from my native place.

Chhath Puja  starts on the chaturthi of shukla paksha and celebrated till satpami tithi.

It is a four days celebration starts with “NAHAY KHAYA “ and ends with “USHA ARAGHYA “ which is the last day of chhath puja on 20^th Nov 2020. On this day Vratis eat satvik food.

Day 1:  Nahay Khay Date: 18^th Nov 2020.

This is the first day of Chhath Puja. Nahay Khay means that women/man(Vratis) take a dip in the river Ganga or any other holy river / water body. After bathing, the house is cleaned and simple vegetarian food is eaten to protect the mind from the vengeful tendency.

Day 2 : Kharna ..Date : 19^th Nov 2020.

Kharna is the second day of Chhath Puja. On Kharna, the vratis fast for the whole day. On this day, the devotees celebrate “KHARNA” by observing NIRJALA VRAT ,  ( Fasting without drinking even a drop of water) from sunrise to sun set, they break their fast only after offering prayer to the Sun God .

In the evening, women prepare KHEER as Prasada, they usually eat gur ki kheer (jaggery kheer), fruits and chapati full of ghee..

Day 3 : Chhath Puja  : 20^th Nov 2020.

On the third day of Chhath puja, an arghya is offered to the sun god during the Kartik Shukla Shashthi. In the evening, a bamboo basket is decorated with fruits, thekua and rice laddus, after which devotees offer an arghya to the sun with their families.

At the time of Arghya, water and milk is offered to Sun God and the Chhathi Maiya is worshiped from a soop filled with prasad.

After the worship of Sun God, Shashthi Devi songs are sung in the night and the vrat katha is heard.

This is very important day for us, In the morning we usually prepare THEKUA and RICE LADDU  with  the help of all family members ,

Day 4 :Usha Arghya : 21^st Nov.

On the last day of Chhath puja in the morning, an arghya is offered to the Sun God. On this day, before sunrise, the devotees have to go to the riverbank to offer an arghya to the rising sun.

After this, the vratis ask Chhathi maiya for the safety and prosperity of all the family members and the happiness of the entire family. After worship, devotees drink sharbat and raw milk, and eat a little prasada in order to break one’s fast which is called  Parana.

After that we all receive Prasada from the devotee and enjoy the tasty Thekua, and Rice laddu.. these prasada has to be distribute to all friends an relatives . Really it is all memorable events but today I deprived of that enthusiasm as I am away from my native place.

Long live the tradition of Hindu culture. As the generations have passed by, Hindu culture is getting stronger and stronger .

Let’s keep it up …Best wishes for CHHATH PUJA…

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