Chhath Puja

Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival, native to the Indian subcontinent and of heritage to the Indo-Nepalese. It is celebrated across all Northern Indian regions. In particular, to the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh; and the Nepalese Autonomous provinces of Koshi, Lumbini, and Madhesh. In the major northern urban centres in India, hundreds of thousands of people celebrate it in cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Kathmandu Valley. During Chhath Puja, prayers are dedicated to the solar deity, Surya: to show gratitude for bestowing the bounties of life on Earth and to request that certain wishes be granted.

Chhathi Maiya, the sixth form of Prakriti and Surya’s sister, is worshipped during the festival. It is celebrated six days after Deepavali, or Tihar, on the sixth day of the lunar month of Kartika (October or November) in the Hindu calendar (Vikram Samvat), and hence why it is called Surya Shashti Vrata. The rituals are observed over three nights and four days. They include holy bathing, fasting, and abstaining from drinking water (as a vrata), standing in water, and offering prasada (prayer offerings) and arghya to the rising and setting of the Sun. Some devotees also perform a prostration march as they head towards the riverbanks. All devotees prepare similar prasada (religious food) and offerings.