The Sun God, Surya, who represents vigor and life power, is worshipped at the Chhath Puja to promote well-being, prosperity, and advancement. Chhath Puja is also known as Surya Shashti, Chhath, Chhathi, Chhath Parv, Dala Puja, and Dala Chhath.
The Sun God, the source of all abilities, is honored throughout the four-day festivity. The Vrati fast is observed by Sun God devotees. Chhath Puja is held twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter.
Kartika Shukla On Shashti, the sixth day of the Karthika month, Karthik Chhath is observed. This event occurs every year in either October or November, according to the Hindu calendar. Another is Chaiti Chhath, a summer festival held a few days after Holi.
The ceremonies for Chhath Puja, according to mythology, are more rigorous than those for other Hindu celebrations. They necessitate fasting for an extended period of time, swimming in rivers or other bodies of water, praying while standing in the water, spending a lot of time facing the sun, and offering “prasad” to the sun at sunrise and dusk. No food with salt, onions, or garlic will be prepared during the event.
It happens over a period of four days. On the first day of Nahay Khay, people do a ritual bath and fast. Women can only eat one meal a day when they fast. Home cooking is required. Lohanda and Kharna have to go without eating all day on the second day. The fast is broken with prasad at dusk. Often, kheer and chapati are used as Prasad. Then you have to go 36 hours without water. When the sun goes down on the third day, prasad is made at home and given to the river. The sarees that the women wear to this event are colored with turmeric.
People make offerings to the rising sun along the riverbank on Usha Arghya, the last day of the festival. The festival is over when the people break their fast after 36 hours. Every person in the house is given Prasad. A very important part of this ceremony is the Prasad. It is made with rice, fresh fruits, dried fruits, wheat, jaggery, almonds, coconuts, and ghee. Thekua is a biscuit made with wheat flour that many people like.
Now that you know what Chhath Puja is and how it’s done, let’s look at its history.
Hindu tradition says that Draupadi and the Pandavas did the Chhath Puja to get their kingdom back and find answers to their problems. Karna, who was the son of Lord Surya and Kunti, is said to have enjoyed doing the Chhath Puja.
People say that ancient Vedic yogis would stand in the sun to get the blessing of the sun and do the Chhath puja.
Therefore in 2023, Chhath Puja is celebrated on Sunday, 19 November, and ends on Wednesday, 22 November.