Last updated on September 21st, 2023 at 05:24 pm
The Chhath Puja festival is uniquely associated with the worship of the powerful Sun God. Indelibly associated with nature-worship for the well-being of humanity, Chhath puja is the only festival that has been carried on from the Vedic period. The festival is a celebration of Lord Surya’s role as the permanent source of life and sustenance on Earth.
Chhath Puja 2022 Dates
| Date | Event | Tithi |
| October 28, 2022 | Nahai Khai | Tritiya |
| October 29, 2022 | Lohanda and Kharna | Chaturthi |
| October 30, 2022 | Chhath Puja, Sandhya Argh | Shashth |
| October 31, 2022 | Suryodaya Argh | Saptami |
Rituals and traditions of Chhath Puja
The Chhath puja, seeped in traditional Vedic beliefs, remains unmatched in the epic-level rituals and celebrations. Bihar’s Chhath puja is overwhelmingly popular and is now celebrated equally in Delhi, which boasts a massive Bihari migrant population. The rituals mainly comprise fasting and chanting prayers on the banks of the Ganges, Yamuna, or any clean river.
The Chhath puja, seeped in traditional Vedic beliefs, remains unmatched in the epic-level rituals and celebrations. Bihar’s Chhath puja is overwhelmingly popular and is now celebrated equally in Delhi, which boasts a massive Bihari migrant population.
On the first day, people bathe in the holy Ganga or Yamuna at sunrise in order to cleanse the body and prepare ‘Prasad’ or offerings. second day is a day of fasting from sunrise to sunset. Devotees prepare ‘kheer’ a sweet delicacy on the day termed ‘kharna’. from one ‘amavasya’ to the next
The devotee resumes their 36 hour fast from one ‘amavasya’ to the next, after breaking the fast at night with the ‘prasad’. By the third day evening, the flowers had wilted.
The flowers had wilted by the third day evening. On the evening of the third day, there is a ritualistic puja where devotees offer flowers and small earthen ‘diyas’ on the river banks. This ritual is followed by the devotees breaking their fast. An experience in itself, partaking of the sea of humanity thronging the banks of rivers watching this ritual and singing chhath songs.
Celebrations during Chhath festival
Chhath puja celebrations are significantly impacted by devotional songs. The festival mood is enhanced by the presence of ‘Chhath geet’ everywhere. Before sunrise, people dress up in traditional clothes and throng the banks to witness the ‘arghya’. Patna and Gaya are two examples of cities that are very well lit-up. The festival’s sanctity is unquestionable, as everyone sticks to the values of maintaining cleanliness and purity of mind. People who go through the difficult experiences of fasting and giving up material possessions are held in high esteem and asked for their blessings.
