Chhath Puja
Chhath Puja is celebrated on the sixth day of the month of Karthika in the Vikram Samvat, which also means it is the sixth day after Diwali. This festival is dedicated to the sun god and his wife and is one of the most popular festivals in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
It is also an important festival in Nepal. The festival lasts four days, with the third day generally being a public holiday in certain regions of India. This is the only holiday in India that is dedicated to Lord of light, energy, sun to promote the well being and prosperity in Human Beings. People observe fast for four days and offer prayers to Lord of Sun in this festival.
How Do People in India Celebrate
Chhath Festival is a four-day celebration where each day has its significance and traditions. It is mostly celebrated in Bihar and Northern India. But states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra also celebrate with equal spirit.
Nahai Khai is the first day of the festival. On this day Devotees take a bath in the river, pond or any other water body. River Ganga is considered by the holiest of all. Devotees bring water from these rivers to their homes and make Parsad (religious meal) from it. They decorate and clean their houses. Devotees take only one meal a day which is made without any contamination.
On the second day of the festival also known as Locanda and Kharana, Devotees do not eat anything the whole day, not even a drop of water before sunset. Devotees spent the whole day shopping or preparing for the festival. In the evening, Devotees make special Parsad known as Rasiao-Kheer and chapattis. With this special made prasad and fruits, devotees worship Chhathi Maya, After the puja, devotees break their fast and distribute prasad to their friends and families.
Sandhya Arghya or evening offerings are spent by devotees resting and preparing in the morning at home. During the day Daura (basket made of bamboo sticks) is made by putting into all offerings and fruits. In the evening, Devotee and all family members gather at the bank of river, pond, reservoir which is decorated for puja. Folk songs are also paid and devotees in the evening worship sun God during sunset.
The fourth day is known as Usha Arghya where prayers are offered to the sun in the morning. Devotees and family members gather together at the bank of the river in the morning before the sun rises. When the sun rises, the morning arghya is offered by going into the water with arghyas kept in sauri or supali. After morning offerings, the vratti distribute Prasad among each other and take blessings from elders on the ghat. After they return, devotees break their 36 hours fast. This is where four days long festival ends.
Advise for Celebrating Chhath Puja from Locals in India
Chhath Puja usually takes place after 6 days from Diwali. It is a great time to visit India as you can experience two of the most important and believed festival in one go. To get the best experience of this festival, there is no better place to visit than the state of Bihar. There are other states where you can visit to experience pooja, but Bihar gives an extraordinary experience.
Some of the best places to experience Chhath Puja
Patna is the capital of Bihar and also known as one of the best places to experience Puja. People gather at the bank of river Ganga which is decorated with colorful lights. It is flooded with thousands of devotees who offer prayers.
Bhagalpur: It is the third-largest city in Bihar and is known for the silk industry. A lot of devotees gather at the bank of river Ganga and offer prayers to Sun God.
Chapra: The city lies along the junction of the Ganga and Ghaghara rivers and once served English, Portuguese, French and Dutch merchants.
Jharkhand: Jharkhand is also considered to be the best state to visit during this time. Some of the best cities to visit in Jharkhand are Ranchi, Jamshedpur, and Bokaro.
Darbhanga and Gaya are other major cities where thousands of people visit every year during the time of Puja.
Tips from the Locals
Thousands of people travel to Bihar and other northern states to offer prayers and meet their families. These cities get overcrowded and it can become difficult to experience puja. It is better to book a tour package to enjoy this festival. It is also recommended to stay at a local person's house who will not only explain everything but will give you a lifetime experience.
Overall Feeling of this Holiday in India
The preparation of these festivals begins days before. Thousands of people who have migrated to different major cities travel to their hometowns to celebrate Chhath Puja with their families for 4 days. For two weeks, these cities are crowded with people and markets are decorated with lights.
People clean their houses and cook some amazing dishes which are not available anywhere in the world.
Ghats (Banks of rivers) are beautifully decorated with colorful lights and shops. Thousands of people gather there to offer Puja to the sun. It gives a mesmerizing view to the one who hasn't seen anything like this before. To access the rivers steps down to the water are created, In Delhi alone, there are hundreds of steps down and more are added every year. This is not the major festival in India, but it surely lightens thousands of people's hearts.