Chhath Puja 2024: Worshipping the sun and Chhathi Maiya for prosperity and health

The countdown has begun for Chhath Puja 2024! This four-day festival is a time when people in Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal honour Lord Surya (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya with fervent devotion and rigorous rituals. Celebrated six days after Diwali, this year, Chhath Puja kicks off on November 5, with preparations and Satvik meals beginning just after Diwali. The festival’s rituals are known for their intensity, but the devotion surrounding it only adds to the vibrant energy.

Chhath Puja 2024

The four days of Chhath Puja have specific practices and rituals, each dedicated to different aspects of the festival:

Nahay Khay (November 5): This marks the beginning, where devotees take a ritualistic bath in holy rivers, especially the Ganga, and prepare a Satvik meal as their sole meal for the day. It’s a time to purify the body and home and is the official starting point for the days ahead.

Kharna (November 6): The second day includes the observance of a nirjala vrat, a fast without food or water, that devotees keep until sunset. In the evening, they break the fast with a simple meal of kheer made from rice, jaggery, and milk, symbolising purity and simplicity.

Chhath Puja (November 7): Known as Sanjha Arghya, this day is dedicated to worshipping the setting sun. Devotees gather by riverbanks or water bodies to offer Arghya (offerings) to the sun as it sets. The scene is beautifully lit with diyas and the sound of mantras echoing as devotees chant Rig Veda hymns.

Usha Arghya (November 8): On the final day, devotees offer prayers to the rising sun, symbolizing new beginnings, health, and prosperity. After this, they break their 36-hour fast, ending the rigorous ritual and rejoicing with family and loved ones.

Chhath Puja origin

Chhath Puja has origins that blend mythology and tradition. One tale recounts how Draupadi and the Pandavas from the Mahabharata observed Chhath rituals to seek divine blessings. Another legend talks about Karna, the son of Surya and Kunti, performing the puja as an expression of gratitude and respect for his father, ruling over Anga Desh (now Bhagalpur, Bihar). It’s also said that ancient sages practiced this ritual to absorb solar energy, connecting spiritually with the Sun’s life-giving power.

The essence of Chhath Puja lies in expressing gratitude to Surya and Chhathi Maiya for well-being and prosperity. The festival is a vibrant spectacle of faith, fasting, and feasting that brings communities together in an unbreakable bond of devotion and reverence for nature’s life-giving forces.