Here’s all that you need to know about Chhath puja

Celebrated a few days after Diwali, Chhath puja is mainly observed in North Indian States like Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Hyderabad: Celebrated a few days after Diwali, Chhath puja is mainly observed in North Indian States like Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Devotees worship the Sun god and Chhatti Maiya in this festival. Women fast for 36 hours without even a sip of water during this time and pray for the long life of their children and a prosperous life.

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On the fourth day following Diwali, (October 28 this year), people clean their homes and purify it with varied rituals. The Chhath puja which begins from this day is considered to be important since it falls in the holy month of Kartik. After taking the Chhath Vrati bath, devotees consume a strictly vegetarian meal and begin their fast. The rest of the members eat their meal once the vrat meal is eaten.

Devotees observe fast on the Chaturthi of the festival which is known as Kharna. After taking bath early in the morning, the fasting continues and devotees prepare the prasad to be offered to the Sun God the next day. During the evening puja, they also offer kheer made with jaggery that is cooked over a fire using mango wood.

The main prayers happen on the Shashthi. The fasting women prepare for the puja rituals by decorating a bamboo basket for carrying the ‘argh’ for the setting sun. This consists of women carrying a copper pot filled with water, red sandalwood, rice, red flowers, fruits and kush. All members of the family visit the ghat of a water body to offer this ‘argh’ to the God.

On the fourth day of Chhath, devotees offer the ‘argh’ to a rising sun. Devotees throng the ghats of a water body, standing knee deep in the water to watch the rising sun. After this, women break their fast with the prasad. They then eat a meal that comprises kheer made of rice, laal saag, thekua (wheat cookie) and sitaphal ki sabji.