CHHATH PUJA

The festival is dedicated to Sun and Chhathi Maiya( Mother Shasthi or USHA). The devotee offer their gratitude to the sun God Surya along with the Goddesses-Usha(First rays of the morning )and Pratyusha (last rays of the evening 0 because it is believed that the Sun is a prime source of energy that sustains all live on the earth

The Chhath Puja is being celebrated over four days this year, from 31st October to 3 November 2019, with Surya Shashthi (main day) falling on 3 November 2019.

Day	Date	Ritual
Thursday	31 October 2019	Nahay-Khay
Friday	1 November 2019	Lohanda and Kharna
Saturday	2 November 2019	Sandhya Argh
Sunday	3 November 2019	Suryodaya/Usha Argh and Paran

The four days of Chhath Puja

First day : Nahai Khai (Naha khay or Bathe-and –eat). it is the first day of festival on which devotees take a bath in pound ,river or any other water body. On this day devotees clean the house and nearby compound . The devotees take a meal on this day only once. The meal is prepared without any contamination and it is ready ,first devotees eat and then other members of the family.

Kharna : Seonday day : Devotees observe fast whole day . They do not eat anything even a drop of water before sunset. The whole day is spent preparing for the festival ,shopping. Later in the evening devotees prepare special Prasad called kheer (A type of sweet dish with the help of jrice and milk) and chapattis. With these specially made Prasad and fruits like banana devotes worship chhati Maiya and offer these Prasad. After puja the devotees breaks their fast by eating Prasad and later on it is distributing among family and friends. On the midnight of kharna people prepare thekua a special Prasad for Chhathi Maiya.

Sandhya Argya (Evening offerings) : Third day of chhath puja

The whole day is spent resting and preparing offerings at home (early in the morning before sunrise usually). During the day , the Daura(A basket made of bamboo sticks ) is prepared by putting into it all offerings including thekua and seasonal fruits. In the evening ,the devotes and every family member gather at the bank of the river , pond decorated for puja. The devotees sit on the ghat and worship the setting of the sun. folk songs are sung that show the social culture of Madesh . Later in the evening when sun sets devotees to offer Sandhya Arghya , worship Sun God and then come back home

Bhrowa Ghat (Morning offerings) :

The offering given to the sun God in the morning is called morning offering. The devotees and the family members again gather at the bank of the river early in the morning and sit until the sun rises. They sing and worship Chhati Maiya. When the sun rises the morning arghya is offered by going into the water with arghyas kept supali. After morning offering the devotees distributed Prasad among each other and take blessing from an elder on the ghat . After they come back home.

After returning from the ghat devotees break their 36 hours long fast by taking water. After that delicious food is prepared and offered to devotees to eat . This is called paran .