Chhath Puja 2022 Live Highlights: Festivities Across India As Devotees Perform Puja
Chhath is an auspicious festival in North India and Chhath Puja is mainly celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, and parts of Uttar Pradesh.
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Background
New Delhi: The Chhath Puja festival is celebrated over a period of four days. It falls after Diwali and is celebrated on the sixth day of Kartik month. The festival is dedicated to Surya Bhagavan (Lord Surya) and is also popular in Nepal where followers worship Lord Surya for the well-being, development, and prosperity of their family members.
At the start of the Chhath festival, devotees gathered at the banks of rivers to take the early morning bath. In Delhi, people reached the Yamuna river in Kalindi Kunj to take a dip.
Chhath is an auspicious festival in North India and Chhath Puja is mainly celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, and parts of Uttar Pradesh. The Chhath Puja festival which is celebrated on the sixth day of Kartik month commences with Nahay Khay.
During this festival, women observe a 36-hour fast without water. The women worship Goddess Chhathi with enthusiasm. There are many beliefs related to the festival of Chhath Puja. Women pray for a good harvest, family health, and prosperity, and for the long life of children.
According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Chhathi is considered to be Lord Brahma’s Manasputri and Lord Surya’s sister. Goddess Chhathi is considered to bless fertility in women.
Interestingly, this four-day festival does not involve idolatry. Devotees believe that the main sources of the sun’s powers are his wives, Usha and Pratyusha. Hence, Chhath involves combined worship of both powers along with the Sun.
The importance and prominence of the festival in Hinduism is such that it is mentioned in the 'Ramayana' and 'Mahabharata' as well.
How is the Chhath Puja celebrated?
Nahay Khay
The four-day-long festival commences with Nahya Khay. The women who observe a fast on this day, consume chana (chickpea), rice, and saag.
Kharna
The second day of Chhath puja is Kharna. On this day, women observe a fast without water throughout the day. In the evening, Gud ki Kheer (Jaggery pudding) is prepared. The kheer is made on an earthen stove. After offering the argha to Lord Surya, the women consume the kheer.
Third-Day of Chhath Puja
The Third day of the Chhath Puja is special as the women go near a river or pond to worship Goddess Chhathi and after sunset offer argha to Lord Surya.
The Last Day Of Chhath Puja
On the fourth day, women go into the river or pond and offer argha to Lord Surya. After that, they circle around seven or 11 times. Later the fast is concluded by distributing prasad among each other.
Devotees Perform Puja With Great Fervour Across The Country
From Kolkata, Lucknow, Delhi to Amritsar to Bihar, the Chhatt Puja festivities acorss the country were performed with great fervour. From applying vermillion to performing Puja on the ghats of various rivers, Chhatt Puja 2022 has been a grand festival.
What Is The Significance Of Surya Arghya?
The Sun is revered in Hinduism as a healer of many severe health conditions, as well as a source of longevity, prosperity, progress, and well-being. The festival is celebrated by the people by following a strict four-day routine. Fasting, including abstinence from drinking water; holy bathing, offering prayers to the rising and setting suns, and meditating by standing in water for long periods of time are among the rituals.
The rituals of Chhath Puja are mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, where Draupadi, the Pandavas' wife, is depicted as performing similar religious observances. According to popular legend, the Pandavas and Draupadi performed the Chhath ritual on the advice of the noble sage Dhaumya in order to reclaim their lost kingdom of Indraprastha (now Delhi).
The festival also has an interesting history: the sages used to abstain from food and channel the Sun's energy toward themselves in order to survive. Another mythological story has Rama and Sita praying to the Sun god after returning to Ayodhya after a 14-year exile (vanvasa).
The Surya Sashthi fast is characterised by strict fasting and abstinence from water in honour of the Sun god. This fast aids in gaining focus, prosperity, happiness, and physical and mental well-being.
Chhath Puja 2022 Day 3; Sunrise and Sunset time
The third day of Chhath Puja, also known as Sandhya Arghya, is the day when devotees observe a fast without drinking any water. Devotees pray and make an offering (Arghya) to the setting Sun on this day. This day's fasting involves abstaining from all liquids and water for the entire night.
Sunrise: 05:56 AM
Sunset: 05:10 PM
Lieutenant Governor of Delhi announces ‘Dry Day’ on Chhath
On the occasion of Chhath Puja, which falls on Sunday, October 30, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi has announced a ‘dry day’ in the nation's capital.
BJP member Manoj Tiwari also shared the announcement on his Twitter account. Check out his tweet:
In a first, @LtGovDelhi declares Chhath on Sunday 30.10.2022, as Dry Day in the Capital. The LG, in his capacity as "Government" as per Section 2 (35) of Delhi Excise Act, 2009, has done the same.
— Manoj Tiwari 🇮🇳 (@ManojTiwariMP) October 28, 2022
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Droupadi Murmu Says Chhath Puja Is Unique Example Of Mutual Harmony Between Human Beings And Nature
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said Chhath Puja is a unique example of mutual harmony between human beings and nature, and greeted citizens on the eve of the festival.
Chhath Puja is an occasion when we express our reverence, affection and gratitude towards Mother Nature, the president said in a statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhawan.
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