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CHHATH PUJA

9th November, 2024

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Picture Courtesy:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/chhath-puja-what-is-it-bihar-9657918/

Context:

Recently on November 7, the third day of Chhath puja has been celebrated all over India.

About Chhath puja:

Chhath Puja is a four-day elaborate celebration in honor of the Sun god and his sister ‘Chhathi Maiya’.

It is one of the most important festivals of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and even in some regions of Nepal.

It involves a long fast without water, and making offerings to Usha and Pratyusha — the light of the rising and the setting Sun respectively — while standing in a water body.

Historical context:

  • The Rig Veda mentions elaborate rituals to worship the sun.
  • In Ramayana, when Lord Ram and Goddess Sita returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, they observed a fast and rituals for the Sun god.
  • In Mahabharata, both Karna and Draupadi did the rituals for honoring the Sun god.

These historical incidents hold a special place as all of these worshipping rituals were done on the Kartik shukla paksha shashthi.

The four days of the festival:

Nahay Khay
  • Devotees take a holy dip in the water, often in the Ganges.
  • Then prepare a simple and the only meal of the day.

Kharna
  • Fasting from sunrise to sunset without water.
  • In the evening after offering prayers to the Sun god they prepare Prasad (offering) and distribute it.
  • Then the 36 hours of fasting starts.

Sandhya Arghya
  • Devotees gather at riverbanks or water bodies and offer arghya (an offering of water, milk, and flowers) to the setting sun.

Usha Argya
  • Devotees gather at riverbanks and offer prayers to the rising sun.

Source:

INDIAN EXPRESS

Practice Question

Q:Consider the following statements regarding Chhath Pooja.

  1. It is a four-day festival celebrated in the honor of the Sun god.
  2. Devotees also worship ‘Chhathi Maiya’ who is the sister of the Sun god, Surya.
  3. On the 4th day, the rituals end with offering prayers to the setting sun.

Select the correct answer:

a. 1 and 2

b. 2 and 3

c. 1 and 3

d. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: a

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Chhath Puja is a four-day elaborate celebration in honor of the Sun god and his sister ‘Chhathi Maiya’.

Statement 3 is incorrect.

The 4th day of Chhath is called the Usha Arghya where the devotees gather at riverbanks and offer prayers to the rising sun.




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