Chhath, also known as Dala Chhath
is an important festival celebrated in Bihar and many other parts of India in
which setting Sun (dawn) is worshiped .This festival is also celebrated in neighboring
areas such as Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Terai areas of Nepal with a little
difference. Chhath is also called ‘Suryasasthi’ as it observed after the
six days of Diwali, the festival of light.
Chhath Puja takes place during 6th day (Shasthi) lunar fortnight of Kartik month (October last to mid November). The festival lasts for four days. There is also a "Chaiti Chhath" celebrated just after Holi during Chaitra Navratri in the month of Chaitra (March last to mid April).
The festival is observed and celebrated in Bihar since time immemorial with the constant faith that the Sun God fulfils wishes if 'araghya' is offered with complete dedication and devotion.
Chhath is not just a physical attachment to the people of Bihar, infact, it presents in their hearts, and this is why the people bring the festival wherever they have migrated. Nowadays it can be easily seen at the ghats of Yamuna in Delhi and other parts of India indicating its presence across the country.
It is a festival connected with purity, devotion to the Sun God who is considered as the source of life on this earth and is regarded as wish fulfiller.
The festival is celebrated with an aim to express thanks to Sun God for offering energy to earth continuously enabling the environment suitable for the people to live.
In the evening arghya people express their thanks to Sun God for its work in growing their crops during the preceding year and morning arghya is considered as a request for a bountiful crop, peace and prosperity in the year to come.
Devotees assemble at the ghats at rivers and ponds including Ganges and take a holy dip before preparing offerings (Prasad). The main constituent of the offerings are Thekua, which is a wheat based cake.
Offerings are preferably cooked on earthen Chulha (oven). Some traditions are exercised with little difference varying from region to region and across the families with basic similarity.
During the puja, offerings are contained in small, semicircular pans woven out of bamboo strips called soop. Chhath is a Hindu festival but many muslim families also participates in this holy festival.
Legends
In ancient time the festival of Chhath was performed by Draupdi, the wife of “Pandavas” king of Hastinapur (Modern Delhi) during their exile from their kingdom. One day they were visited by 88 thousand wandering hermits (Bhikshuk). According to the Hindu customs guest were treated heartily and offered foods in the reception.
But Pandavas barely enough for themselves and thus were hardly in a position to fulfill their obligation as Grihastha (householders) and offer meals to the visiting hermits. Seeing Pandavas in deep anguish, Draupdi asked for help to noble sage Dhaumya, who pleased upon her the merits of worshiping the Sun God. Draupdi was not only able to solve the immediate problem but her Sun worship helped the Pandavas later gain their lost Kingdom.
International Relevance
The tradition of worshiping Sun God, the saviour of the life on earth had also found in the Egypt and Babylon the oldest civilizations of the world.
Etymology
The word CHHATH denotes the
number 6 in Hindi and the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar
month of Kartik, which corresponds to months of October and November in the
Gregorian calendar (a week after Diwali). Chhath is the holiest Hindu festival
of Bihar and extends to four days.
Day 1:- Nahai Khai (Bath & Eat):- The first day of the puja is known as Nahai Khai (Bath & Eat), the Vrati (devotees) take a bath preferably in sacred river Ganga and bring the holy water to cook offerings (Prasad) at home.
Day 2:- Kharna :– A whole day fast (without water) is observed by the vratis (devotees). The vratis end their fast in the evening after performing puja. Offerings (Prasad) are comprises of Rasiao-kheer (rice delicacy), puris (deep-fried puffs of wheat flour) or chapatti and bananas - are distributed among family, friends and visitors.
Day 3:- Sandhya Arghya (Evening offering):– Devotees observe fast without consuming water. The whole day is spent in preparing puja offerings. All the offerings are kept in tray made up of bamboo. Offerings comprises of Thekua, coconut, banana and other seasonal fruits.
The evening ritual is performed at the banks of river or pond or any clean water body. All the devotees, family, friends and visitors assemble their and the agrahya is offered to the setting Sun. ‘Kosi’ – One of the most charming events during Chhath Puja known as ‘Kosi’ is celebrated at the courtyard of the house after evening offerings. Lightened earthen lamps (diyas) are kept beneath the covering of five sugarcane sticks or 24 sticks (as per local tradition). The same event also takes place at the ghats in the early morning before morning offerings (arghyas).
Day 4:- Bihaniya Arghya (Morning offerings):– This is the last and final event of the auspicious puja, the devotees again with their family, friends and relatives assemble on the bank of river or pond to offer arghyas (offerings) to the rising Sun. After performing arghyas devotees break their fast. Ginger and Sugar are used by devotees to break their fast (as per local tradition).
Preparation for the Puja
- Basket and tray made up of bamboo (Dala and Soop).
- Wheat flour and Sugar.
- Coconut and other seasonal fruits like Orange, Apple, Radish, Ginger, Gagal (a kind of lemon)
- Red or yellow piece of cloth to cover the basket.
- Cloves, Dry Fruits, Sweets, Pan, A red flat leaf.
- Sugarcane.
- Clay Elephant.
- Earthen Lamps.
- Wide mouth earthen pot .
- Akshat (chawal).
- Vermillion (sindoor), Turmeric
- Copper pot to offer JAL
- Flower especially red (Hibiscus or any red colour flower)
- Dhoop, Deepak, Matchsticks
Traditions / Beliefs
It is a relevant tradition regarding Chhath Puja if a family start offering puja then the family should continue the tradition of puja. If any case the family do not able to offer the puja, they should co-operate or assist friends, relatives, neighbours or some one else who is performing the puja.
It also believed that helping or assisting devotees give fruitfull result to the person who helps them. There are so many people who use to carry the baskets containing offerings to the ghats.
Utensils are cleaned and purified to cook offerings (Prasad). Devotees use to sleep on the floor on a single blanket during puja. Foods and Prasads (offerings) are cooked with dry wood on new oven made of brick and soil. Garlic and Onions are kept away. Rock Salts, Pure Ghee, Sugar etc. are used.
Devotees use to stand in knee deep water or waist deep water at the time of offering “Arghya” to setting or rising Sun. New cloths are essential for devotees. Devotees use to wear unstiched cloths (as per local tradition).
Visitors touch the feet of devotees and get prasad. No one hesitate in demanding prasad from even a strangler.
Devotees are mainly women called Parvaitin derived from Sanskrit means ‘ocassion or festival’. Devotees are mainly women but a large number of men also the main worshiper.
Devotional folk songs are sung both at home and on the banks of river or pond in the honour of “Surya Dev” and “Chhathi Maiyya”.All the road goes towards the ghats are cleaned and decorated. Ghats are decorated with colourful papers, ribbons , banners and lights.
