Chhath

Remember the "Thekua"-taste, I am not non-Bihari so may be missing lavis tase of that, I remember the song by Anuradha Pawdwal Manoj Tiwari, Kalpana Chawala and very lovely song "Kela ke paat par Ugelan Surujwa" in some Bihari language! Hear these songs in some other Season u will surely feel sleepy but during this season I am sure you'll love everything bout Chhat puja(Hindi: छठ). Lets go through the concepts and rituals in connection with this.

Chhath (also called Dala Chhath) is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun), Agni (fire) and Lord Kartikeya or Muruga, also known as Surya Shashthi, unique to Bihar, Jharkhand and the Terai to thank Surya for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and fulfilling particular wishes. This major festival is also celebrated in the northeast region of India, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, some parts of Chhattisgarh, some parts of West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, Mauritius, mainly among the Bhojpuri and Maithili peaking people. Chhath is also important for Nepalese worshippers of the Sun god as well as in eastern Uttar Pradesh.. Even in Tamil Nadu, the migrants from the north celebrate Chhath beside the sea beach. Hymns praying to the sun can be found in the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. Practised in different parts of India, the worship of the sun has been described in the Rigveda. Besides Hindus it also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains and is decided by Lunar Calendar.

Chhath is a way to be grateful to the Sun for giving the bounties of life on earth and for the fulfilment of wishes of believers. It is a festival of reverence to the solar deity, the only festival in the world where devotees offer salutations to the setting sun. Unlike Holi or Diwali, Chhath is a festival of prayer and appeasement observed with somberness, a festival that should not be missed. It is held in high esteem and regard.

A million lit lamps with thousands hands offering ‘Arghya’ to the sun makes it a delightful sight. The enormous faith in Chhat Puja has made it one of the most popular festivals this region.

Important Dates:

2008: 3 November

2009: In 2009, the date of main Chhat puja is October 24 and October 25. Chhat Sandhya Argh (Chhat Dala Evening puja) is on October 24 and Chhath Suryodaya Argh (Chhath Dala Morning puja) is on October 25. Nahai Khai is on October 22 and Kharna is on October 23.

2010:11 November

Etymology

The word chhath denotes the number 6 in Hindi ^[and the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik, which corresponds to months of October and November in the Gregorian calendar (a week after Diwali). Chhath is the holiest Hindu festival of Bihar and extends to four days.

Mythology

The ancient Sanskrit epic Mahābhārata has references to Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, worshipping the sun, which was believed to help cure a variety of diseases, including leprosy, and ensure longevity and prosperity of family members, friends, and elders. In addition, it is believed that Chhath was started by Karna, the son of Surya, who became a great warrior and fought against the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War.

Beliefs:

It is commonly believed that the wishes of the devotees are always granted. Also, the devotees dread the punishment for any misdeed during Chhatt. Therefore, the city remains safe and experiences peace during this time when even criminals prefer to behave.

Some interesting Facts:

You know how much pollutated is the bank of maximum river of India though it will be cleaned at the actual time. When we were teenages we use to go to capture tha land on the bank of River for the Pehla Aragh and Dwitiya Aragh.

Some sale these lands to needy, some does the whole Ghat() at the midst of river by using many Bags of sand placing them on river where there is lesser depth.

Festival

It is celebrated twice a year: once in the summers (May-July), called the Chaiti Chhath, and once in the winter (September-November) around a week after Deepawali, called the Kartik Chhath. The latter is more popular because winters are the usual festive season in North India, and Chhath, being an arduous observance, requiring the worshippers to fast without water for more than 24 hours, is easier to undertake in the Indian winters.

Chhath is mainly a Bihari festival, and so it is celebrated wherever people from Bihar have migrated. This is a ritual bathing festival that follows a period of abstinence and ritual segregation of the worshiper from the main household for four days. During this period, the worshiper observes ritual purity, and sleeps on the floor on a single blanket. The main worshipers, called Parvaitin (from Sanskrit parv, meaning 'occasion' or 'festival'), are usually women. However, a large number of men also observe this festival. The parvaitin pray for the well-being of their family, for prosperity and offspring. They can only perform Chhath if it is passed on to them from their older generation. However, once they decide to do it, it becomes their duty to perform it every year. The festival is skipped only if there happens to be a death in the family that year.

On the eve of Chhath, houses and surroundings are scrupulously cleaned. One the first day of the festival, the worshiper cooks a traditional vegetarian meal and offers it to the Sun God. This day is called Naha-Kha (literally, 'Bathe and eat'!). The worshiper allows herself/himself only one meal on this day.

On the second day, a special ritual, called Kharna, is performed in the evening after Sun down. On this day also, the worshiper eats his/her only meal from the offerings (Prashad) made to the Sun God in this ritual. Friends and family are invited to the household on this day to share the prashad of the ritual. From this day onwards, for the next 36 hours, the worshiper goes on a fast without water.

The evening of the next day, the entire household accompanies the worshiper to a ritual bathing and worship of the Sun God, usually on the bank of a river, or a common large water body. The occasion is almost a carnival. Besides the main worshiper, there are friends and family, and numerous participants and onlookers, all willing to help and receive the blessings of the worshipper. Ritual rendition of regional folk songs, carried on through oral transmission from mothers and mothers-in-law to daughters and daughters-in-law, are sung on this occasion. The same bathing ritual is repeated on the following day at the crack of dawn. This is when the worshipper breaks his/her fast and finishes the ritual. Chhath being celebrated at the crack of the dawn on a river bank is a beautiful, elating spiritual experience connecting the modern Indian to his ancient cultural roots.

The folk songs sung on the eve of Chhath mirror the culture, social structure, mythology and history of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Nowadays, modern Chhath songs, largely Bollywood film remixes have caught on, but the old tradition still goes strong with a great degree of sanctity. The three main linguistic regions of Bihar: the Maithili, the Magadhi, and the Bhojpuri, and all the various dialects associated with these, have different folk songs; but have an underlying unity in their dedicated to Chhath. The minor nuances of the Chhath rituals, such as in the Kharna ritual, vary from region to region, and also across families, but still there is a fundamental similarity.

The Days Of Festivity:

The festival of Chhatt is marked by celebrations and rituals that last 4 days.

As mentioned earlier it's significance may be completion of some particular wish they may be accompanied with some pre multi week Bhiksha from door to door for Paise or cereals.

During the Chhat puja devotees cook food with dry wood on new oven made of brick and soil and the cooked food is ‘Prasad’ or offerings to Sun God. Garlic and Onions are not used during Chhat period.Most of the Devotee families start their cleaning and preparing before Deepawali, They will atleast wont eat any non veg items including Garlic, Eggs(Gandhi believed it as not non veg but Milk Non-veg), Onion.

Nahai Khai first day of Chhat

The first day of Chhat is dedicated to cleaning, preparation and purification and is known as Nahai Khai. Thousands of devotees have an early morning bath in Ganga River on the day. The main food cooked on the day is rice, chana dal, and green gourd (lauki). Lauki is an important preparation on the day and therefore the cooking and the day is also referred as Lauki Bhat.

Kharna fasting second day of Chhat

Fast or Upvaas begins on the second day and this is referred as Kharna. The fast is broken after performing a puja at home in the evening. Kheer, sweets and fruits are offered to deities and then the whole family shares the Prasad. Before having the Prasada it is also compulsory to offer them to ancestors in some isolated places where it is believed that they will come in some form and they will have it. The prasada is also accompanied with one lovely and unique kind of Paratha called Sohari composed of two chapatis fried on small amount of edible oil. Another round of fasting begins after the prasad is shared. This fast is usually broken on the fourth day morning. Some part of them or all say that this day is most important Day.

Chhat Sandhya Argh third day of Chhat

Chhath is the only time when the setting sun as apposed to its rising is celebrated for its glory as the cycle of birth starts with death. After sunset, the devotees return home where celebration takes place by singing hymns while devotees maintaining a strict fast without even water for 3 days. Such is the faith in the “Chhat Maiya” as popularly called.

On the third day in the evening, Chhat Sandhya Argh is offered. Devotees offer ‘Argh’ to setting sun (Lord Surya) along with ‘soop’ at a pond, seashore or riverbank. ‘Argh’ and ‘soop’ are offerings and consists of flowers, fruits, sprouted grains, dry coconut, sugarcane, white radish, sweets and khajurees. The offering is made to Surya by standing in knee-deep water.

In the evening pujas are performed at home and a special puja is done for Agni – fire god. This puja is performed in a special area cordoned off by four sugarcane sticks.

Some may offer Dand-Pranam to Surya for promise they had with Sun God on both Pehla Aragh and Dwitiya Aragh. Some Devotee may be accompanied with some nice sound Systems or some Music Band.

Chhath Sooryodaya Argh fourth day of Chhat

On the fourth day morning, Chhath Sooryodaya Argh is performed. Devotees repeat the rituals performed on the third day evening for rising sun. What is left after offering to Lord Surya is shared as Prasad and the Chhat Puja comes to an end.

They offer ‘Arghya’ and chant mantras and hymns from the Rig Veda and commence the puja. The devotees break the fast. Prasad is distributed. According to belief if you beg for the Prasad all wishes will come true. We sometime make it good times with firework just like Deepawali.

Sun is God of Success So Enjoy it......... I love it.