Chhath Puja is one of the age-old Hindu celebration, which is committed to Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya, who is known to be the sister of Lord Surya. This celebration is special in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and the nation of Nepal. It's the only the holy festival that is dedicated to Lord Surya, who is supposed to be the wellspring of all powers.
The God of light, life power and energy is venerated to advance prosperity, improvement and the success of individuals. Devotees offer their thanks towards Lord Surya and perform significant rituals over a for a span of four days. Individuals who observe the fast during this celebration are called Vrati.
Why Chhath Puja Is Celebrated?
The celebration is devoted to the Sun and Chhathi Maiya (Mother Shashti or Usha). The devotee offers his/her thanks to the God Surya alongside the Goddesses-Usha (first rays of the morning) and Pratyusha (last rays of the evening) since it is accepted that the Sun is a main source of energy that supports all lives on the Earth.
How It Is Celebrated?
Chhath Puja is celebrated over a duration of four days. The first day is known as Nahay Khay, during which Parvaitin (the person who performs Chhath Puja) takes a bath with holy water and cooks rice, dal, and pumpkin which is Known as Kharna. The second day is celebrated with fasting and preparation of kheer and roti by the main devotee. On the third and fourth day, the Parvaitin offers Arghya to the setting and rising sun individually without having food and water for the whole day and night.
The History Behind Of Chhath Puja
The celebration is connected to the story of Lord Rama and Sita. According to sacred writings, the duo had kept fast and offered prayers to the Sun god in the period of Kartik after their return following 14 years of exile. Apart from these, it is also accepted that Chhath Puja may have started before the old time of the Vedas, as rituals are performed during the Puja are similar the Rig Veda, wherein the Surya Dev is worshipped. In antiquated times, rishis used to worship the Sun God to get energy legitimately from the sun and stay with no food consumption.
Chhath Puja 2020 Date And Time
• Chhath Puja Date- Friday, November 2020
• Sunrise on Chhath Puja Day- 06:48 AM
• Sunset on Chhath Puja Day- 05:26 PM
• Shashthi Tithi Begins- 09:59 PM on November 19, 2020
• Shashthi Tithi Ends- 09:29 PM on November 20, 2020
Some Interesting Facts About Chhath Puja
1. Chhath Puja is the only Hindu Puja celebration that doesn't need a priest to purify the ceremony.
2. Chhath Puja is alluded to as the only Vedic Festival celebrated in India.
3. It is the only Hindu Festival, where all the customs of the celebration have some scientific reasons to back them and they together represent to a thorough Scientific Process for Detoxification and Re-energization of the Body.
4. Chhath Rituals are planned around the best of Vitamin D and Calcium into the Body, particularly advantageous for ladies.
5. The Chhath Puja improves the immunity of the human body, gives an antiseptic impact to the body of the devotee and speeds up the healing cycle.
Chhath is considered as the most environmentally friendly celebration as in its presence it is the worship of elements in nature and is regularly used to spread the message of nature preservation. Significantly more thus, Chhath is one of the very few Hindu celebrations that rises above the restrictions of the caste system, which emerged for the post-Vedic period. It addressed the thoughts of equality, society, unity and respectability. Each devotee, regardless of their class or caste, prepares similar contribution for the Sun God and arrives at the banks of the rivers and lakes for extending petitions.