The festival concludes after staying awake all night on the day of Shashti and worshipping the rising sun on the morning of the seventh day of the bright moon of Kartik and offering ritualistic offerings.
What you should know
This evening, on the main day of the Kartik Shukla Shashthi, or Chhath festival, the setting sun is being worshipped and ritually offered.
There is a fast ritual in which devotees who have bathed in the morning and observed a waterless fast throughout the day offer argha to the setting sun in the evening. This festival of worship, worship and worship of the Sun God, celebrated from Kartik Shukla Chaturthi to Saptami, began on Saturday.
According to the historical and mythological text Mahabharata, when the five Pandavas including Draupadi were in hiding, the Sun God was worshipped so that their secret stay would be successful. It is mentioned that the Pandavas were staying in the court of King Virat at that time. According to folklore, the tradition of celebrating Chhath began from that time.
According to the Surya Purana, the first woman to observe the Chhath fast was Anusurya, the wife of Atri Muni. As a result, she received unwavering good fortune and love for her husband. The fact that the tradition of celebrating the 'Chhath festival' began from that time is mentioned in the Surya Purana.
The entire physical development of the world is based on the sun. Without the power of the sun, no tree, plant, flora, animal, or creature can exist. Many doctors have written books on the treatment of sun rays. Surya's rays have also been used to find miraculous cures for many incurable and incurable diseases.
In the Samva Purana, it is said that Samva, who was suffering from leprosy due to the curse of his own father, Shri Krishna and Maharishi Durvasa, became free from the disease as a result of worshipping Surya. It is believed that fasting during Chhath festival gives relief from sorrow and poverty. It is believed that offering jhuppa-jhuppa fruits during this festival pleases the Sun God and brings good luck to all the children including the family of the person who fasts.
Those who cannot fast during this festival get their wishes fulfilled by those who fast next. People who are financially deprived celebrate this festival even if they have to beg for alms.
Fasting rituals
On the day of Kartik Shukla Chaturthi, they take a bath and eat one meal. On the second day, on the fifth day of Kartik Shukla, the devotees offer a sweet-tasting kheer (Kharna) to the Shashthi Mata as a prasad and eat it without eating salt.
The main day of this festival is the day of Kartik Shukla Shashthi, observing a strict fast and worshipping the setting sun in the evening, according to the Guhyeshwori Gaurighat Chhath Puja Committee Guhyeshwori.
The festival concludes after staying awake all night on the day of Shashthi and worshipping the rising sun in the morning on the seventh day of Kartik Shukla and offering Argha in a proper manner. It is believed that if one worships the sun in a proper manner and offers Argha in a proper manner on the first day of Kartik Shukla, one will not get skin diseases.
Chhath, which was celebrated in limited areas of the Terai before 2046 BS, has now taken on a national form. Since 2046 BS, the government has been declaring public holidays across the state on the occasion of this festival. After a few years of holidays, it has started again now.
For the Chhath festival, decorations have been made from the capital's Guhyeshwori to the Gaurighat area, Kamalpokhari, and the banks of the Bagmati, Nakkhu, and Bishnumati rivers. The devotees of Chhath eat clean food and live a pure life from the Chaturthi of the bright moon of Kartik. Some devotees, on the other hand, do not eat garlic, onion, and other tamasic foods from the day after Kojagrat Purnima, i.e. from the Pratipada of Kartik Krishna, and eat clean or sattvic food. Therefore, this festival has been established as a very sacred festival.
