Chhath
chhath ancient indonepalese hindu festival native nepal east india celebrated especially indian state bihar jharkhand eastern uttar pradesh nepalese autonomous province koshi lumbini madhesh major northern urban centre hundred thousand nepali east indian celebrate city including kathmandu valley delhi mumbai calcutta chhath puja prayer dedicated solar deity surya show gratitude bestowing bounty life earth request certain wish granted chhathi maiya sixth form prakriti surya sister worshipped festival celebrated six day deepavali tihar sixth day lunar month kartika october november hindu calendar vikram samvat hence called surya shashti vrata ritual observed three night four day include holy bathing fasting abstaining drinking water vrata standing water offering prasada prayer offering arghya rising setting sun devotee also perform prostration march head towards riverbank devotee prepare similar prasada religious food offering environmentalist claimed festival chhath one ecofriendly religious festival world although festival observed widely nepal indian state also prevalent area diaspora migration area presence chhath puja dedicated sun god surya thought sun visible every basis life creature earth along sun god chhathi maiya also worshipped day according vedic astrology chhathi maiya chhathi mata grant child long life good health shielding illness disease chhath puja folk festival last four day start kartik shukla chaturthi end kartik shukla saptami chhath celebrated twice year chaiti chhath observed chaitra month vikram samvat kartik chhath celebrated large scale kartika month vikram samvat first day chhath puja parvaitin transl devotee sanskrit parva meaning occasion festival must take holy bath entire house surroundings pathway ghat thoroughly cleaned parvaitin usually cook sattvik lauka bhaat bottle gourd bengal gram lentil preparation arva rice bhaat preparation served deity afternoon bhog initiate parv last meal parvaitin chhath puja food eaten protect mind thought vengeance kharna also known rasiaavroti lohanda second day chhath puja day devotee drink even single drop water offer worship evening eat gur ke kheer kheer made jaggery called rasiaav together roti day spent preparing prasada offering home often consisting bamboo basket decorated fruit thekua rice laddus eve day entire household accompany devotee riverbank pond large body water make arghya offering setting sun occasion many way resemble carnival besides devotee friend family numerous participant onlooker willing help receive blessing worshipper time arghya gangajal water offered surya chhathi maiya worshipped prasada worship sun god chhath song sung night vrat katha read returning home devotee perform ritual kosi bharai together family member take sugarcane tie together form mandap beneath shade mandap diya lamp burnt thekua seasonal fruit offered ritual repeated next morning afterward devotee offer arghya offering rising sun last day chhath puja dawn worshipper travel riverbank offer arghya rising sun making holy offering parent pray chhatti maiya child protection well happiness peace whole family worship follower participate paran parana rite breaking fast small amount prasada water rite emphasis connection family wellbeing divine favour serving symbol thanksgiving spiritual closure main worshipper called parvaitin sanskrit parv meaning occasion festival usually woman however men also observe festival chhath genderspecific festival parvaitin pray wellbeing family prosperity child community family member start performing chhath puja dutybound perform every year pas following generation festival skipped death family year person stop performing ritual particular year stop permanently one cannot resume community mandatory prasada offering include thekua khajuria tikri kasar fruit mainly sugar cane sweet lime coconut banana many seasonal fruit offered small bamboo basket food strictly vegetarian cooked without salt onion garlic emphasis maintaining purity food champaran bihar madhesh province nepal mythological belief leaving ayodhya sita stayed valmiki ashram located edge narayani river chitwan district time celebrated chhath mahaparva nepal even today people celebrate chhath festival great pomp luvkush ghat bank gandaki river located indonepal border chhathi maiya worshipped chhath festival also mentioned brahma vaivarta purana said chhath puja started holy city varanasi gahadavala dynasty according kashi khanda banaras trend chhath puja started increasing country also believed ashram rishi kashyapa aditi buxar region mata aditi gave birth surya son sixth day kartika surya also called aditya son aditi reason chhath puja celebrated birth anniversary surya month kartika considered holy month throughout year munger region festival known association sita manpatthar sita charan lit sita footstep sitacharan temple situated boulder middle ganges munger main center public faith regarding chhath festival believed goddess sita performed chhath festival munger chhath mahaparva celebrated great pomp munger according legend king priyavrata son first manu svayambhu sad child kashyapa asked yajna according sage order performed yajna son queen malini gave birth son unfortunately baby born dead king family sad mata shashthi revealed sky king prayed spoke saying chhathi maiya sixth form parvati protect child world give blessing child childless parent goddess blessed lifeless child hand came life king thankful grace goddess worshipped goddess shashthi devi believed puja festival became worldwide celebration chhath mentioned major indian epic ramayana rama sita returned ayodhya people celebrated deepavali sixth day ramarajya lit kingdom rama established day rama sita kept fast surya shashthichhath puja performed sita hence blessed lava kusha son mahabharata chhath puja performed kunti escaped lakshagriha also believed karna son surya kunti conceived kunti performed chhath puja draupadi also said perform puja pandavas win kurukshetra war believed draupadi performed chhath puja near spring nagdi village ranchi village chhath vratis neither offer arghya river pond chhath puja performed near spring nagdi sharma p gupta seema fair festival india pustak mahal pp – isbn dhyani ashish july hindu festivalswhy celebrate fantabulous publisher india pp –