Chhath Puja Vidhi: In Hindi Chhath means six, the preparation and celebration of chhath puja, therefore, start from the sixth day of Diwali. On that day, the devotees offer prayer to the Sun, the God of light. Chhath is a four-day festival that calls for strict puja rituals from devotees and their families. Fasting is a significant part of this festival. And it has many rituals that devotees have to follow during four days. Let’s check how the chhath is celebrated, how the preparations are done and the rituals associated with it.
Who Is Chhath Dedicated To?
Chhath is dedicated to Surya and his sister Chhathi Maiya. The devotees worship both the setting and rising sun on the day and forward their thanks for bestowing all the fortunes in their lives. During the Vedic period, sages used to perform this puja. They expose themselves to direct sunlight after observing the fast.
The other two legends associated with this puja is, in the Mahabharat era, Draupadi and pandavs used to perform this puja to get the power from the Sun that could help them gain their lost kingdom. Yet another legend behind Chhath is, Karna, who was the son of Surya and Kunti first performed this puja. Because Karna was the ruler of Anga Desh, the present-day Bhagalpur, the puja started from there.
This is the only puja in Hindus where no idols are worshipped.
Chhath Puja Vidhi (Process)
A day before the chaat puja, devotees take bath in the river bank or the water body they choose to perform the further puja. Chhat puja performed at the bank of river Ganga has the most significance. After the bath, devotees also take some water to the home, which they use to purify the house and surroundings.
Day One
On the first day, devotees clean their house and surroundings and sprinkle Ganga jal at every corner to purify. The person who observes the fast are called vrati in chhath puja. The vrati would take only one meal this day only the satvik food.
Day Second
On the second day, vrati observes the fast for the whole day (no food, no water). In the evening, vrati and her family prepare the traditional prasad and after worshipping the Sun and Moon, and offering this Prasad to them, the Prasad is distributed to friends and relatives. Vrati breaks the fast at night with this Prasad. The prasad is porridge and bread (Kheer and roti) cooked on mango wood chulah.
Day Third
The third day is the day when puja begins. The vrati prepares Prasad which she would distribute on the last day of puja. It is always prepared in a large quantity.
In the evening, vrati and her family members go to the river bank or bank of water resources they have chosen. Sugarcane is the main thing in this puja. Five sugarcanes are tied together at the top and it is dug inside the water at the bank to form a kind of shade, a new cloth is also wrapped around the sugarcane shade. The vrati will then enter into the water body and worship the setting sun. Once the Sun will set completely, she will come out of the water. The vrati and her family will then move back to their home with all her belongings. The sugarcane is left there in the water.
Day Four
On the fourth day, vrati, her family and other devotees, reach the bank before the sunrise. Vrati then gets inside the water and worship the rising sun. She stays in the water till the Sun comes out completely. The puja ends on this day.
After that, she will have to distribute prasad to everyone at the bank and return home.
Chhath Puja Date 2021
9 November – The first day of puja
10 November- Second day of puja
11 November – Last day of puja
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Important Notes
Vrati has to make the main Prasad which is offered to the Sun and Chhath Maiya. The rest of the Prasad, helpers can make but there are conditions for them as well. Prasad are prepared only in the purified kitchen by the person who has taken bath and has not eaten non-vegetarian food. He/she also abstain from wearing stitched clothes.
On the day when vrati breaks fast, she has to eat only homemade vegetarian food having no salt, garlic and onion.
The main Prasad of Chhath is biscuits made of wheat flour, jaggery and ghee. Five different types of fruits are also added to the Prasad. This is the Chhath Puja Vidhi And Rituals.
