Chhath Puja is a festival of folk faith

The great festival of folk faith has started with Chhath Puja Nahay Khay. This four-day festival has special significance, so let us tell you about the worship method of Chhath Mahaparva.

Know about Chhath Puja

Sun God is worshiped in Chhath Puja. This festival is performed in Purvanchal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh besides some parts of Nepal. Arghya is offered to the Sun in this puja. It is believed that by the grace of Sun God, the devotee is always healthy and his house is full of wealth and food. Chhath Maiya gives children. This worship is also done for the attainment of great and brilliant children like the Sun God. Also, people observe Chhath fast when their wishes are fulfilled.

Chhath Maiya is a symbol of faith

Pundits believe that Chhath Devi is said to be the sister of the Sun God. But according to Chhath Vrat Katha, Chhath Maiya is Devasena, the daughter of God. It is said about Devasena that she was born from the sixth part of the original nature of nature, hence she is called Shashthi. This puja is performed on the sixth day of Kartik Shukla. Apart from this, many other mythological stories are prevalent about Chhath Puja. One of them is that when Lord Shri Ram came back to Ayodhya after exile, Mata Sita and Ramji together worshiped the Sun God on Kartik Shukla Shashthi. Apart from this, Kunti also did Suryopasana before marriage to get a son. After that Suryadev was pleased and gave him a son. But due to fear of localization, the son Karna, who was born to the Sun God, was thrown into the river after giving birth by unmarried Kunti. Later Karna also became a big worshiper of Suryadev. It is believed that the infinite grace of the Sun remained on Karna.

Also read: Chhath Puja is a great festival of public faith and sun worship

Chhath Puja is held for four days

Chhath Puja is not a single day but a worship performed for four days. All the family members gather to observe this fast.

Chhath Puja begins with a bath

Although Chhath Puja is celebrated on the sixth day of Kartik Shukla, but it starts only on Kartik Shukla Chaturthi. The devotee who observes the fast on the day of Nahay Khay takes a bath and wears new clothes and takes a vow of fasting. Apart from this, the fasting takes vegetarian food from this day and all the family members eat it only after the fasting.

Kharna happens on the second day

Kharna is celebrated on the day of Kartik Shukla Panchami. On this day, the fasting person eats kheer in the night after fasting for the whole day. Because of eating kheer at night, it is called Kharna. Nirjala fast is observed for the whole day on the day of Kharna. Rice and jaggery pudding is eaten in the evening. Salt and sugar are not used in this fast. Along with kheer, ghee-laden bread is also eaten.

Also read: Chhath Puja started in Shobhan, Sarvartha Siddhi and Ravi Yoga

Prasad is made on the day of Shashthi

Prasad has a special significance in Chhath Puja. Thekua has a special significance in this prasad. Thekua is also known as Tikri. Along with this, rice laddus are also made in the prasad. Later the offerings and fruits are specially decorated in bamboo baskets. After that all the devotees go to the pond, river or ghat etc. to offer arghya to the sun in the evening to worship the basket. Here the devotees take bath and offer Arghya to the setting sun. Chhath Parana takes place on Saptami day. On this day, Arghya is offered to the Sun even at sunrise on Saptami in the morning. After this the ritualistic worship is done. The specialty of Chhath Puja is that Prasad is distributed among the people. After this the fasting is done.

These rules are followed in Chhath Puja

Chhath Vratis make offerings of bathed food of Chhath Puja with complete purity. In this, rice of Arva rice, gram dal and pumpkin mixed lentils remain. Along with gourd vegetable, new potato and cabbage vegetable, many places also make dumplings of August flowers.

They are offered Bhog in Chhath Puja

In Chhath Puja, Nabha lemon, coconut, banana, thekua, sugarcane, suthni, betel nut, water chestnut are offered to please the sixth Mayya and Sun God. Nahay-Khay on the first day, Kharna on the second day, Surya Arghya in the evening on the third day and ends with Arghya on the fourth day in the morning. Five sugarcane with leaves, coconut with water, Akshat, yellow vermilion, lamp, ghee, wick, kumkum, sandalwood, incense sticks, camphor, lamp, incense sticks, matches, flowers, green betel leaves, whole betel nut, honey. Do it Apart from this, green plant of turmeric, radish and ginger, big sweet lemon, custard apple, banana and pear are also needed for worship. Apart from these, do not forget to take sweet potato and suthni. Make arrangements for sweets, jaggery, wheat and rice flour and ghee as well.

– Pragya Pandey