Chhath (Devanagari: छठ, छठी, छठ पर्व, छठ पुजा, डाला छठ, डाला पुजा, सूर्य षष्ठी) is an ancient Hindu vedic festival celebrated in Bihar and other North Indian states. This festival is celebrated after Diwali, which generally falls in the month of October - November. The Sun god , considered to be the symbol of energy and life-force, is worshiped during this auspicious period to promote well-being, prosperity and progress. According to Hindu mythology, Sun worship is believed to help cure a variety of diseases and ensures the longevity and prosperity.
It is also called lokaastha ka mahaparva, Chhath Parv, Chhath Puja, Dala Chhath, Dala Puja, Surya Shashthi.
Chhath Puja involves four-day long strict and spiritual observance. The first day of the Chhath Puja includes taking a dip in the holy river Ganges. People also take the water of Ganges to their home to perform special offerings and rituals. Houses are thoroughly cleaned on this day. The second day of Chhath, also known as Kharna, involves devotees observing a day long fast that ends late evening after performing the worship of Mother Earth. The offerings to the God include rice pudding (kheer) and fruits, which is distributed among family members and friends. The third day of Chhath goes in the preparation of the prasad (offerings) for the evening offerings, also known as Sanjhiya Arghya.
On the fourth and final day of Chhath, devotees reach the river banks before sunrise and make offerings (Aragh) to the rising sun. After this ritual, the festival comes to a conclusion as people end their fast and distribute prasad to neighbors and relatives.
Although the festival is observed most elaborately in Mithila Region of Nepal, Terai-Madhesh of Nepal, Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern UP, it is also more prevalent in areas where migrants from those areas have a presence. It is celebrated in all Northern regions and major Northern urban centers in India bordering Nepal. The festival is celebrated in the regions including but not exclusive to the northeast region of India, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat[6][7] Bangalore,[8] Mauritius, Fiji, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, other parts of the Caribbean, United States, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Macau, Japan, and Indonesia.
