Chhath Pooja is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to Chhathi Maya, the Sun God, and his sister Chhathi Maya. It is also called Surya Shashti and is particularly significant for Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, UP, West Bengal, and areas of Nepal.
The festival is celebrated with the strict fasting which women follow to ensure the health of their families. The fast is considered one of the most challenging abstinences because the vibrations can’t consume food or drink for up to 36 hours. Other significant rituals include:
- Praying to God’s sun as you stand in knee-deep water.
- Making and sharing a unique Prasad.
- A prostration march.
Chhath Puja 2022: Latest Updates
Delhi, The Delhi government is announcing it will create 1100 sites to celebrate Chhath Puja 2022. The government has also set aside 25 crore rupees for the festival, which will be observed on October 30, 2022, and October 31, 2022. This year, arrangements for the ambulance, washroom first aid, and power backup will be made on the sites.
“The degree of the infection might be lessened, but the infection is present. Follow the appropriate behavior of Covid and wear the mask. Fines may have been reduced; however, please adhere to the guidelines. For the past two years, celebrations have been affected by this pandemic. Since the establishment of the government, we have in the celebrations have become more extensive. Before we came to power, the government allocated a sum of 2.5 crores to prepare 69 sites. However, the budget has increased to 25 crores, and sites have increased to 1,100 sites, as stated by Arvind Kejriwal as Chief Minister of Delhi.
Chhath Pooja 2022: Dates and Auspicious Times
Chhath Pooja is celebrated on the sixth day of Kartik month’s Shukla Paksha. It is usually celebrated 6 days following Diwali. The year 2022 will be the first. Chhath Pooja starts on October 28 and runs until October 31.
- October 28, 2022: Nahay Khay (Chaturthi)
- October 29, 2022: Kharna (Panchami)
- October 30, 2022: ‘Chhath Puja’ Sandhya Arghya (Shashthi)
- October 31, 2022: Usha Arghya, Parana Day
The sunset on Sandhya Arghya: 5.37 pm
Sunrise on Usha Arghya: 6.31 am
Chhath Pooja Story and Mythological Association
According to the legend, the son of Manu Swayambhu, King Priyavrat, and his mother could not have children. Maharishi Kashyap instructed him to do the pooja of a son. Queen Malini was pregnant shortly after the pooja and was blessed with one son. The baby was not born. Mata Shashthi then appeared before the couple and gave life to the dead baby.
The origin of Chhath Pooja is connected to both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Chhath Pooja story according to the Ramayana
Based on the Ramayana, when Lord Rama and his lady Sita came back to Ayodhya the following day, they kept an observance of a fast in honor of the God of the Sun. Sun God. The couple broke the fast after the sunset. This is the reason why they break the Chhath Pooja fast is broken only at sunset.
Chhath Pooja story according to the Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is a story with a character referred to as Karna. Karna is the son of the Sun God as well as Kunti. Karna was believed responsible for the beginning of the Chhath Pooja rituals in honor of the Sun God. The legend says that Karna would sit in the water as he offered prayers. This is why it is not uncommon for women to be seen standing in water bodies offering prayers to the God of the Sun. Sun God in Chhath Pooja.
The Mahabharata is also about how Pandavas and Draupadi did similar rites of worship while trying to restore their kingdom.
Chhath Puja 2022 Celebration In Your Society In Artificial Pond
The two years since the Pandemic and various restrictions have resulted in new ways to celebrate the festival. But when it came to Ganpati Visarjan and Chhath Puja, many restrictions were still in place, considering the environmental impact. If you’re too concerned for the planet and would like to enjoy the celebration that is Chhath Puja in full swing however without polluting the rivers, here’s how to organize this Chhath Puja celebration in your community:
- As times change, the Chhath Puja on rivers is now being replaced by the societies’ lakes and pools. Several plush societies have discovered an alternative, and residents have been performing this Chhath Pooja in pools. It is possible to hold the Chhath Puja ceremony in your community by creating Ghats inside artificial swimming pools.
- Suppose you don’t have a pool within the community, and can’t participate in this Chhath Puja 2022 celebration in your community, in this situation. In that case, you may finish the rituals in an area near a park or on the ground by creating an artificial pond or pool.
Chhath Puja 2022 – Essential Chhath Pooja Items
Following are the essential pooja items that you must have for the Chhath Puja celebration in your society:
- Dakshina (Coin)
- Desi Ghee
- Khajur (Dates)
- Deepak (Diya)
- Puja Thali
- Cotton
- Camphor
- Gangajal (Holy Water)
- Fruits
- Red Cloth
- Incense Sticks (Agarbatti)
- Paan leaves
- A small idol of Lord Ganesha
- A small idol of Lord Surya
- Roli (Kumkum)
- Panchamrit
- Red Cloth
- Chandan
- Rice
- Supari
- Anaj/ Wheat
- Vrat Katha Book
- White flowers
Chhath Puja Vidhi For Home
The Chhath Puja home vidhi is spread out over four days. For all four days, devotees maintain their fasts and pray to the God of the Sun. Sun God during sunset and sunrise.
Day 1 – Nahay Khay (Chaturthi)
On the first day, Chhath Puja vidhi, the day of worship, is celebrated by cleaning up the home and making an entirely vegetarian meal free of salt. Food is presented to the god. The women who are adults in the home eat their first meal of the day in the family and then keep a strict fast all day and night until prayers for the day are completed the following day.
Day 2 – Kharna (Panchami)
Chapatis and Kheer are prepared at the end of the day. The milk used in the preparation of this Kheer comes from a cow that has a calf that is living. It is then offered to the gods and consumed as prasad at the end of the prayers of the sunset. It is served with other sweet food items. Devotees keep a strict fast during the day and into the night.
Day 3 – ‘Chhath Puja’ Sandhya Arghya (Shashthi)
The third day of the month is recognized as the day that is known as Chhath Pooja. The devotees once again adhere to a complete fast. They even avoid drinking water. A special prasad, referred to as Thekua, is made of jaggery and flour. In the evening, the incense sticks are burned and offered in the name of the Sun God when standing in water bodies. This is known as pehli arghya. They break their fasts early on the following day.
Day 4 – Usha Arghya, Parana Day (Saptami)
The fourth day begins with a pooja referred to in the tradition of Usha Arghya. Then, the devotees end their fast to mark the conclusion of the Chhath Pooja.
Chhath Pooja Karne Ke Vidhi
Like any other festival, some traditional aspects and practices are associated with Chhath Pooja.
Meals eaten by the principal female devotee or vratin keeping the fast are considered holy. They are typically the first to eat, taking food off the table for the others in the family.
To perform the pooja during that day of the week, ingredients include fruit such as prasad rice, incense sticks and incense dried fruits, coconuts, lemon, sweet potato vermilion, turmeric, or turmeric plants honey, camphor, and an incense candle. All of these are placed in a thali and bamboo basket.
According to Chhath Puja vidhi rituals, worshippers then dip their feet in a body of water and kneel in the waters with their baskets and candles made of earth. They look at the sun and the other people in the community while pouring water and milk into the water in the name and worship of the sun god. Sun God. The baskets are traditionally transported to and from home by masculine family members.
Following the prayer of finalization at the end of day four, the brain is also worshipped by the soil of farmlands when returning to her home. She is regarded as the most religious at this point, and everybody reaches out to her feet and asks for her blessings as she returns home.
As the women fast, the men can take a supplication march from their houses to the riverbank or body, where prayers will be held. They lay on the ground with their arms stretched in front of them and mark the point where their fingers meet the ground using the nail. Then, they rise and proceed until they reach the point. In this way, they travel slowly toward the river’s edge.
Chhath Pooja New Song
Songs are an integral aspect of the prayers as well. Chhath Pooja does not seem to be an exception. As they wait for the sun’s set and rise, women gather together to perform songs of praise to gods like the Sun God. They usually sing in regional languages and Bhojpuri.
Many have moved from their homes to different cities. Numerous new Chhath Pooja songs in Hindi are easy to understand by all.
Finding the Best Song for Chhath Pooja
Music applications are the perfect companion if you’re searching for traditional, old-fashioned folk songs or modern versions of songs that are appropriate for Chhath Pooja. It is possible to find all the well-known songs performed in Chhath Pooja online, along with the lyrics.
Conclusion to Chhath Puja
India is a country with a myriad of unique events and celebrations. The customs associated with Chhath Pooja date back to the Vedic times. The festival is a time to honor gods like the Sun God and express gratitude to the Sun God for his blessings is celebrated over four days. While fasts can celebrate many celebrations within India, Chhath Pooja fast is considered the most difficult because the vibrations are not allowed to eat or drink water while fasting. For Biharis, this is the most significant moment to gather as a family and community.
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