Chhath (Hindi: छठ, Nepali: छठ also called Dala Chhath , Surya Shashti, Chhati, Chhat Puja)

heading towards ghat (puja spot)

is an ancient Hindu festival and only Vedic Festival dedicated to the Hindu Sun God, Surya, also known as Surya Shashti

is performed in order to thank Surya for sustaining life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes

the Sun considered the god of energy and of the life-force, is worshiped during the Chhath festival to promote well-being, prosperity, and progress

In Hinduism, Sun worship is believed to help cure a variety of diseases, including leprosy, and helps ensure the longevity and prosperity of family members, friends, and elders

The rituals of the festival are rigorous and are observed over a period of four days. They include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water (Vratta), standing in water for long periods of time, and offering Prashad (prayer offerings) and aragh to the setting and rising sun

Although it is observed mostelaborately in Bihar, Jharkhand,

Eastern UP and the Terai regions of Nepal in modern times
is more prevalent in areas where migrants from those areas have a presence, it is celebrated in all regions and major urban centers in India

heading towards ghat doing dand pranam

is celebrated in the regions including but not exclusive to the northeast region of India, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Delhi, Mumbai Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, and Jamaica.

Date of the festival

Chhath puja is performed on kartika Shukala Shashti, which is the sixth day of the month of Kartika in the Hindu Calendar
This falls typically in the month of October or November in the Gregorian Calendar
It is also celebrated in the summer (March–April), on Chaitra Shashti, some days after Holi; this event is called Chaiti Chhath
The former is more popular because winter is the usual festive season in North India, and Chhath, being an arduous observance, requiring the worshipers to fast without water for around 36 hours continuously, is easier to undertake in the Indian winters

Etymology

word chhath denotes the number 6 in Hindi
the festival is celebrated on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar month of Kārtika
The word is a Prakrit derivation from the Sanskrit meaning sixth

CHHATH PUJA CELEBRATIONS, CHHATH PUJA 2017, छठ पूजा 2017, छठ पूजा कब है, छठ पूजा के गीत - VIDEO 1

CHHATH PUJA CELEBRATIONS, CHHATH PUJA 2017, छठ पूजा 2017, छठ पूजा कब है, छठ पूजा के गीत - VIDEO 2

History

It is believed that the Maga Purohits (modern days known as Shakya Dwipi Brahmins) were invited by local kings for their expertise on Sun worship. They started the tradition of Chhat Puja. Today Chhat Puja is celebrated specially in those places where Shakya Dwipi Brahmins are found
It is believed that the ritual of Chhath puja may even predate the ancient Vedas texts, as the Rigveda contains hymns worshiping the Sun god and describes similar rituals
The rituals also find reference in the Sanskrit epic poem Mahābhārata in which Draupadi is depicted as observing similar rites
In the poem, Draupadi and the Pandavas, rulers of Hastinapur (modern Delhi), performed the Chhath ritual on the advice of noble sage Dhaumya
Through her worship of the Sun God, Draupadi was not only able to solve her immediate problems, but also helped the Pandavas later regain their lost kingdom
It is also believed that Chhath was started by Karna, the son of Surya (Surya Putra Karna)
Surya Putra Karna ruled over the Anga Desh (present day Bhagalpur district of Bihar) during the Mahabharat Age
He was a great warrior and fought against the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War
Its yogic/scientific history dates back to the Vedic times
The rishis of yore used this method to remain without any external intake of food as they were able to obtain energy directly from the sun's rays
This was done through the Chhath method
The chhat puja is very popular in Chhapra(Saran), Darbhanga, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Madhuvani and Dehri-On-Sone (Rohtas), Patna, Dev & Gaya
Nowadays it is celebrated in approximately all parts of India
Chhath Pooja is also celebrated in Mangalore, Karnataka. People from Bihar & UP celebrate Chhath Pooja on Panambur Beach
It is also said that the Goddess that is worshipped during the famous Chhath Puja is known as Chhathi Maiya
Chhathi Maiya is known as Usha in the Vedas
She is believed to be the consort of Surya, the sun god
Some scholars are of the view that she is only the beloved of Surya and some suggest that she is Surya’s wife
Usha is the term used to refer to dawn – The first light of day
But in the Rig Veda, she has more symbolic meaning
Symbolically Usha is the dawn of divine consciousness in the individual aspirant
During the Chhath Puja, Chhathi Maiya is invoked to bless us with this divine consciousness which will help us to overcome all the troubles in the world – this blessing will help us to Moksha or liberation.

Rituals and traditions

Chhath is a festival of bathing and worshipping, that follows a period of abstinence and segregation of the worshiper from the main household for four days
During this period, the worshiper observes purity and sleeps on the floor on a single blanket
This is the only holy festival which has no involvement of any pandit (priest)
devotees offer their prayers to the setting sun, and then the rising sun in celebrating its glory as the cycle of birth starts with the death
It is seen as the most glorious form of Sun worship
Bihar has a number of Sun temples, flanked by a surajkund or sacred pool of the Sun, forming a popular venue for the celebration of this festival
Araria, Arwal, Aurangabad, Bagaha, Banka,Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Buxar, Darbhanga, East Champaran, Gaya, Gopalganj, Jamui, Jehanabad, Kaimur, Katihar, Khagaria, Kishanganj, Lakhisarai, Madhepura, Madhubani, Munger,Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Nawada, Patna, Purnia, Rohtas, Saharsa, Samastipur, Saran, Sheikhpura, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Siwan, Supaul, Vaishali, West Champaran are known for their popular chhath puja
The main worshipers, called Parvaitin (from Sanskrit parv, meaning 'occasion' or 'festival'), are usually women
However, a large number of men also observe this festival
The parvaitin pray for the well-being of their family, and for the prosperity of their offsprings
Once a family starts performing Chhatt Puja, it is their duty to perform it every year and to pass it on to the following generations
The festival is skipped only if there happens to be a death in the family that year
prasad offerings include sweets, Kheer, Thekua and fruit offered in small bamboo soop winnows
food is strictly vegetarian and it is cooked without salt, onions or garlic
Emphasis is put on maintaining the purity of the food

Day 1: Nahay khay (literally, bathe and eat)

On the first day of Chhath Puja, the devotees take a dip, preferably in the holy river Ganges, and carry home the holy water of the river Ganges to prepare the offerings
house and surroundings are scrupulously cleaned
parvaitins allow themselves only one meal on this day
also known as " kaddu-bhat" in some region
Generally, Parvaitin eat kaddu, channa dal, and arwa chawal (non-boiled rice)
Traditionally the food is cooked on an earthen stove & mango wood is used as fuel
Only, preferably, new bronze or earthen utensils are used to prepare the food
If old utensils are used, non-veg should never have been cooked in it
But nowadays steel utensils are also used in preparation of the food

Day 2: Kharna or Lohanda (the day before Chhath)

On Panchami, the day before Chhath, the parvaitins observe a fast for the whole day, which ends in the evening a little after sunset
Just after the worship of earth, the offerings of Rasiao-kheer (rice delicacy), puris (deep-fried puffs of wheat flour) and bananas, are taken to break the fast
No sugar is used, the only jaggery is used to sweeten the kheer
This is then distributed among family and friends
From this day onwards, for the next 36 hours, the parvaitin goes on a fast without water
People also make idol of Sama and Chakeba festival on Kharna Day and play Sama Chakeba till Kartik Purnima
The prasad is prepared by the parvaitin themselves in the bronze or earthenware utensil only
While eating the prasad by parvaitin if any unwanted thing like small stone etc. comes into the mouth immediately they have to stop eating without making any complaint
The rice should, therefore, be clean. There should be no sound

Day 3: Chhath

Sanjhiya Arghya(ghat) (evening offerings):

The day is spent preparing the prasad (offerings) at home

Those who help, also take a bath and fast till all the prasad is made

The wheat is washed and dried and even birds are not supposed to touch it

The mill is washed before grinding

On the eve of this day, the entire household accompanies the parvaitins to a riverbank, pond or a common large water body with the Thekuas fruits, etc. to make the offerings (Aragh) of Ganga-Jal to the setting sun

It is during this phase of Chhath Puja that the devotees offer prayers to the just setting sun, while the parvaitin chants the Gayatri Mantra

Traditionally during the aragh the parvaitin should be dressed like a bride and wear a plain saree with border colored with turmeric
But nowadays printed colored sarees are also in use

Tradition Song

The occasion is almost a carnival
Besides the parvaitin, there are friends and family, and numerous participants and onlookers, all willing to help and receive the blessings of the worshipper
Ritual rendition of regional folk songs, carried on through oral transmission from mothers and mothers-in-law to daughters and daughters-in-law, are sung on this occasion
The folk songs sung on the evening of Chhath reflect the culture, social structure, mythology and history of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
The most traditional and popular Chhath songs are "Marbo re sugwa dhanukh se" and "kaanch hi baas ke bahangia".
Nowadays, modern Chhath songs, largely Bollywood film remixes, have caught on, but the old tradition still goes strong with a great degree of sanctity
The three main linguistic regions of Bihar (the Maithili, the Magadhi, and the Bhojpuri), and all the various dialects associated with these have different folk songs; but have an underlying unity in their dedication to Chhath
The minor nuances of the Chhath rituals, such as in the Kharna ritual, vary from region to region and across families, but still, there is a fundamental similarity.

Kosi

On the night of day three, a colorful event of Kosi is held
Here, lighted earthen lamps are kept under a canopy of five sugarcane sticks
The five sticks signify the human body made of Panchatattva (the five great elements – earth, water, fire, air, and ether)
This is a symbolic ritual in Chhath Puja, performed especially in those families where marriage or childbirth has taken place recently
The lighted lamps signify the solar energy sustaining the human being
People perform this ritual at home, during late evening on day three after making the offering to the just setting sun
After that, it is done at the banks of the river on day four before making the offerings to the rising sun

Day 4: Paarun (the day after Chhath)

Bihaniya Aragh(ghat) (maithili), subah ke aragh (bhojpuri) (next morning offerings):

On the final day of Chhath Puja, the devotees, along with family and friends, go to the riverbank before sunrise, in order to make the offerings (Aragh) to the rising sun

The festival ends with the breaking of the fast by the parvaitin and friends visiting the houses of the devotees to receive the Prashad

The chhath has so much importance that even millionaire beg for prasad at the Chhath ghat

This symbolizes that all persons are beggar in front of the almighty

Witnessing Chhath being celebrated at the crack of the dawn on a river bank is a beautiful, elating spiritual experience connecting the modern Indian to his ancient cultural roots

After aragh, Ganga maiya is worshipped

Yogic viewpoint

There is also a yogic process of Chhath that may have been associated with the religious observance of Chhath Puja

All the traditional rules of Chhath puja have also got some strong scientific reasons behind it & by following that maximum benefits can be gained

The Yogic Philosophy of Chhath

According to yogic philosophy, the physical bodies of all the living organisms are highly sophisticated energy conducting channels

The solar bio-electricity starts flowing in the human body when it is exposed to solar radiations of specific wavelengths

Under particular physical and mental conditions, the absorption and conduction of this solar-bio-electricity increases
The processes and the rituals of the Chhath puja aim at preparing the body and the mind of the Vratti (devotee) for the process of cosmic solar energy infusion
The scientific process similar to Chhath was used by the Rishis of yore for carrying out their austerities without any intake of solid or liquid diet

Using a process similar to the Chhath puja, they were able to absorb the energy needed for sustenance directly from the sun, instead of taking it indirectly through food and water

The retina is a kind of photoelectric material, which emits subtle energy when exposed to light

Hence, very subtle electric energy starts flowing from the retina

This energy (photo-bio-electricity) is transmitted from the retina to the pineal gland by the optic nerves connecting the retina to the pineal gland, leading to its activation
The pineal gland is in close proximity to the pituitary and hypothalamus glands (together, three glands are called Triveni) due to which, the energy generated in this process starts impacting these glands
Consequently, the pranic activity becomes uniform, giving the Vratti good health and a calm mind

Stages of Chhath (Conscious Photoenergization Process)

According to Yoga philosophy, the process of Chhath is divided into six stages of the Conscious Cosmic Solar Energy Infusion Technique (Conscious Photoenergization Process)

Stage 1: Fasting and the discipline of cleanliness lead to detoxification of the body and mind. This stage prepares the body and mind of the Vratti (devotee) to receive the cosmic solar energy.
Stage 2: Standing in a water body with half the body (navel deep) in the water minimizes the leak of energy and helps the prana (psychic energy) to move up the sushumna (psychic channel in the spine).
Stage 3: Cosmic Solar Energy enters the Vratti’s pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus glands (Triveni complex) through the retina and optic nerves.
Stage 4: Activation of Triveni tri-glandular complex (pineal, pituitary, and hypothalamus).
Stage 5: A kind of polarization happens in the spine, which results in the Vratti’s (devotee) gross and subtle bodies getting transformed into a cosmic powerhouse. This can also lead to the awakening of the latent psychic energy popularly known as the Kundalini Shakti.
Stage 6: The body of the Vratti (devotee) becomes a channel which conducts, recycles and transmits the energy into the entire universe.

Benefits of Chhath process

The Chhath process results in detoxification

The Chhath process stresses mental discipline

The discipline of mental purity is a result of this work

By employing a number of rituals, the vrattis focus on maintaining the cleanliness of the offerings and environment

Cleanliness is the most dominant thought that prevails in the minds of all the devotees during Chhath
This has a great detoxification effect on the body and the mind as mental moods can result in biochemical changes

Now comes the physical detoxification. The fasting paves the way for detoxification at a material level Detoxification helps in regularizing the flow of prana and makes the person more energetic

The natural immune system of the body spends much of its energy in fighting the toxins present in the body
By using the detoxification methods such as pranayama, meditation, yoga and Chhath practices, the number of toxins present in the body can be reduced to a great extent
Thus, with reduction in the number of toxins, the expenditure of energy also reduces and you feel more energetic
It improves the appearance of the skin. The eyesight can improve and the aging process of the body slows down.

Benefits of Chhath Puja

Photo-electro-chemical effect: physical benefits

The Chhath practice improves the immunity of the Vratti’s body.

Antiseptic effect: Safe radiation of sunlight can help cure fungal and bacterial infections of the skin

Raktavardhak (increase in fighting power of blood): As a consequence of the practice of Chhath, the energy infused into the bloodstream improves the performance of white blood cells

The solar energy has a great influence on the glands, which results in balanced secretion of hormones
Energy requirements are met by the solar energy directly. This will further detoxify the body

Photo-electro-psychic effects: mental benefits

A state of creative calmness will prevail in the mind.

To a great extent, all negative responses have their origin in the disturbed flow of prana. With the pranic flow regularized, the duration and frequency of occurrences of anger, jealousy, and other negative emotions will be reduced.
With patient and sincere practice, the psychic powers like intuition, healing, and telepathy awaken. This depends on the concentration with which the practice is undertaken

Daily sun meditation (Chhath process)

In the fast lifestyle of the present times, it may not be possible to follow the Chhath process very often

The detoxification can be undertaken through pranayama, yoga, meditation and Conscious Photoenergization Process known as Chhath Dhyan Sadhana (CDS).

Chhath Dhyan Sadhana (CDS): Conscious Photoenergization Process

Assume a comfortable position (standing or sitting) with back and spine straight. With eyes closed, face the Sun. Inhale completely, as slowly as possible
Do not strain in making the breathing slow
Maintain your comfort level

As you breathe in, visualize (feeling experience) the cosmic solar energy entering through your eyes and moving to the pineal gland through optic nerves and charging the pineal–pituitary–hypothalamus complex

Now, as you exhale, visualize the cosmic solar energy flowing down the pineal gland and spreading throughout your body with a revitalizing effect

Thus, the process starts with inhalation and ends in exhalation

This constitutes one round

It is suggested to start with five rounds (two minutes) and increase its time permitting
On completion of the practice, thank the Sun for bestowing upon you the life-giving solar energy

Thereafter, sit quietly for a minute, observing the good things in the environment around

CDS should be practiced within one-hour window after sunrise or within one-hour window before sunset

Any person of any age can practice CDS
If you wish to practice CDS at any time other than sunrise or sunset, do not practice it in front of Sun
You can, however, practice CDS in a room
Even a bed-ridden person can try and consciously draw in the solar energy while lying on the bed

With regular practice, he/she will notice an improvement in physical and mental health

For those who are not comfortable facing the sun, they can practice the technique in any room having proper ventilation

If you have time, you can also practice it twice a day

Do not hurry in increasing the number of rounds, as there are no shortcuts to success in this method

The nervous system of the body takes its own time in adapting and to be able to receive the energy.

Significance of emphasis on sunrise and Sunset periods

Only sunrise and sunset are the periods during which the majority of humans can safely obtain the solar energy directly from the Sun

However, there may be some exceptions

That is why, in Chhath puja, there is a tradition of offering Arghya to the Sun in the late evening and in the early morning. During these phases (one hour window after sunrise and before sunset), the ultraviolet radiation levels remain within safe limits.