Chhath Puja is a major Hindu festival dedicated to Surya Dev (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya (the Goddess of Energy and Nature). It is especially popular in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal’s Terai region. The festival is celebrated six days after Diwali, during the Shukla Paksha of Kartika month (October–November).

☀️ Spiritual Significance

Chhath Puja is one of the most eco-friendly and spiritually powerful festivals, where devotees worship the Sun, the giver of life, health, and energy. It is believed that by offering prayers to the Sun, one attains prosperity, longevity, and well-being of the family.

The Sun God is also considered the only visible deity, representing truth, consistency, and positivity.

🙏 Rituals of Chhath Puja (4-Day Observance)

  • Day 1: Nahay Khay (Holy Bath & Purification)
      • Devotees take a sacred bath in rivers or ponds and clean their homes.
      • A simple, satvik meal (often bottle gourd and rice with chana dal) is prepared and eaten to purify the body.
  • Day 2: Kharna (Fasting Begins)
      • A full-day fast is observed without water.
      • In the evening, after worshipping Chhathi Maiya, devotees break their fast with kheer made of jaggery, ghee-roti, and bananas.
      • From this point, a 36-hour nirjala vrat (fast without food or water) begins.
  • Day 3: Sandhya Arghya (Evening Offering to the Setting Sun)
      • Devotees gather at riverbanks or water bodies at sunset.
      • Offerings (arghya) include Thekua (a sweet made of wheat and jaggery), fruits, sugarcane, coconut, and seasonal produce placed in soop (bamboo baskets).
      • The Sun is worshipped while standing in water with deep devotion and singing folk Chhath songs.
  • Day 4: Usha Arghya (Morning Offering to the Rising Sun)
    • Before sunrise, devotees return to the river to offer arghya to the rising Sun.
    • After the puja, the fast is broken by eating Prasad, marking the end of the Chhath rituals.

🌸 Key Offerings

  • Thekua, rice laddus, seasonal fruits, sugarcane, coconut, soop, lamp (diya), and gangajal (holy water).
  • Everything is prepared in a pure, traditional, and fireless method, using handmade clay stoves and banana leaves.

🌼 Cultural and Environmental Message

  • Chhath Puja is a celebration of nature, purity, discipline, and gratitude.
  • It encourages cleanliness of both body and surroundings, respect for rivers, and eco-consciousness.
  • No idol worship — only natural elements like water, sunlight, and earth are revered.

✨ Message of Chhath Puja

Chhath teaches us the importance of devotion, patience, simplicity, and ecological balance. It celebrates the eternal bond between nature and human beings and is a heartfelt thanksgiving to the Sun for sustaining life on Earth.