December 17, 2011
Chhath is a festival of the Sun deity
celebrated mainly in Bihar. It is the most popular festival of Bihar. It is
celebrated on the sixth day of Kartik month according to Hindu (lunar) calendar.
The day usually falls in the month of October. The festival runs for four
consecutive days followed by ritual bath, fast and by giving ‘arghya’
(ablutions) to the Sun.
The details about how and when did
the festival begin in India are not clear. Some accounts state that the Maga
Purohits (Shakya Dwipi Brahmins) started observing this ritual on a request
made by the local rulers of those times. As usual people quote anecdotes from
the Mahabharatha. According those
sources Draupadi was the first person to observe this ritual. Whatever may be
the origin people do follow the tradition of Chhath even today with great
fervor.
It is a four day festival. On the
first day the observers take ritual bath, preferably on a river bank and carry
the water to their homes. The day would be spend by purifying the household
surroundings and eat a special meal consisting of rice, dal (lentils) and kaddu
(pumpkin). On the second day observe fast for the whole day and break it at the
sunset. On the third day the observer will keep a strict fast, (without food
and water) and in the evening gives ablutions (arghya) to the Sun. The whole
family would be involved in the process. ‘Arghya’ (ablution) is given to the
setting sun. On the fourth day, again, ablutions would be given, but to the
rising Sun this time. The main day (Chhath, or Shashti) is observed on the
third day of the course actually. People say, by observing this ritual
(standing inside the water facing the sun) one would get positive energy. Rays
of sun at a point of the day have an energizing effect upon human bodies they
say.
The Chhat festival has gained wide
popularity all across the country. Lakhs of people observe the ritual. There
are many Sun temples in Bihar itself. Deo and Surajkund (near Patna) are the
main cities which would be crowded during the festival time.
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