Chhath Parva
or Chhatha Kartik is a Hindu festival being celebrated in Shukla Paksha.
This unique Lokpwarv of Sun-UPasana is celebrated mainly in eastern areas of
Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. Gradually this festival has
become popular in the entire Indian Diaspora as well as in the world.
Naming
Chhatha
Vachha Chhath, is a disfigurement of the word Shashthi, named as 6th
day after Deepwali. The most difficult and important night of this four-day
fast is the Kartik Shukla Shishthi being celebrated after Diwali of the new
moon of Kartik month. Due to the celebration of the festival of Kartik Shukla
Paksha, it was named as Chhath.
Why the Festival of Chath?
Chath is a famous
festival of sun-worshiping in India. Originally it is called Chhath due to Shasti's
fasting. This festival is celebrated twice a year. For the first time in
Chaitra, and the second time in the month of Kartik. The festival which is celebrated on Chaitra is
known as Chaiti Chhath whereas the festival that is celebrated on Chaitra
Shukla Paksha Sashthi, is called Kartiki Chhath. This festival is celebrated
for achieving family happiness and prosperity.
Chath Pooja: A
Gender-neutral Festival
Men and women celebrate this festival
equally. Many stories are prevalent to Chhath Fast. According to one of them, when Pandavas lost
their entire palace in gambling, then Draupadi kept Chhath fast after being
told by Shri Krishna. Then their wishes were fulfilled and Pandavas got back
the palace. According to the tradition of the people, the relation between Sun
God and Chathi Maiyya is of brother and sister. The Sun worshiped Chathi Maiyya
firstly and after that a tradition of worshipping her became prevalent.
The Scientific Angle of Chath Pooja
If the Chhath festival is seen from a
scientific point of view, special astronomical transformation takes place on Sishthi (Chhath) date. At this time, the ultraviolet rays of the Sun
are collected in the greater quantity on the surface of our earth. The fasting
on this day provides us the ability to
protect as much as possible. Celebration of festivals is possible to protect
the animals from the harmful effects of Sun’s light (ultraviolet ray).
In normal state, the amount of ultraviolet
ray reaching the surface of the earth is in the limit of tolerance of humans or
organisms. Therefore, it does not have any particular harmful effects on humans
in the normal state, but the harmful germs die by that sunlight, which benefits
humans or life.
How do Chhat days are celebrated?
This festival is of four days. It starts from the
third day of Bhaiyya Dooj. On the first day, Senda is taken as salt, vegetable
curry of Arva rice and pumpkin made from ghee. Fasting starts from the next
day. Vrati renounces food and water throughout the day, after about 7 p.m. in
the evening, after offering the pooja, they receive the Prasad, which is called
Kharna.
On the third day, the devotees offer milk to
the Sun. Purity is taken special care of on all four days; Garlic, onion is
strictly prohibited. Women sing Chath Songs in the house of those
devotees who take fast and observe penance. On the third day, the setting sun
is worshipped whereas on the fourth or final day, the rising day is worshipped.
Offerings of worship are provided to the people.
Format of Celebration
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival. It
starts with Kartik Shukla Chaturthi and ends with Kartik Shukla Saptami. During
this fasting, the fast continues for 36 hours. During this time the devotees do not even accept water.
Nahaye Khaye
On the first day, Kartik Shukla Chaturthi is
celebrated as 'Naray-Khay'. Firstly, the house is cleaned and things of
religious offerings are kept there. After this, the Chathvratis start their fast
taking a pure vegetarian diet after taking bath. All the members of the house
take food after the Vrati takes her/his food. Pumpkin-pulse and rice are taken
as food. This pulse has to be of gram.
Lohanda and Khanna
On the second day, in Kartik Shukla
Panchami, after the fasting day, the
Vratis take food in the evening. It is called 'Kharna'. All the people nearby
are invited to take the offerings of Kharna. In the form of Prasad, with the
rice molasses made of sugarcane juice, milk, rice pitcher and ghee are made of
chapadi bread. It does not use salt or sugar. During this time, special care is
taken to clean the house.
Sandhya Arghya
On the third day, Kartik Shukla Shishthi is
made to offer Chhath in the day. In addition to Prashad, the rice
laddoos(Thekuwa) are also prepared by the devotees. Apart from these, the mold and fruits brought
in the form of offerings are also included as Chhath Prasad.
In the evening, all the items of offering are bedecked in a
basket of bamboo , and with Vrati, the family and all the neighbors go towards
the Ghat to pay obeisance to the God Sun and offer Him the religious offerings.
Almost all religious people gather around the Ghat and the entire area gets
emerged in religious festivity. During this, a fair-like scene is created for a
few hours.
Usha Arghya
On the fourth and final day of Kartik Shukla Saptami, the
Vratis throng the Ghats in the wee hours, well before the sunrise time. The
entire gang of religious people follows them. Again the process of the previous
evening is repeated. All the devotees take a holy dip in river, pay obeisance
to the only visible God of the universe, i.e., Sun, offer him the things
that they prepare in their homes, seeks His blessings for their loved ones and
after that they come back. Prasads get distributed in the people who pay a
visit to Ghat and those who stand in the path welcoming the Vratis.