The main feature of this festival is that, regardless of caste or community, all communities, in religious faith, meditate on God all night near a reservoir, stay awake with hymns and kirtans, and carefully offer Argha to the sun, who nourishes and illuminates the world on this earth.
What you should know
Dashain, the big and grand festival that brings blessings to the doorsteps of Nepalis, along with the wishes for happiness, peace, and prosperity for their families, and Diwali and Bhaitika, the bright festival of flowers that bring joy to the family, are the festivals that come right after Tihar - Chhath.
Today, we are celebrating Chhath festival of 2082 BS. Until a decade ago, Chhath festival was celebrated only by communities living in the Terai Madhesh. In recent years, from the urban community to the hilly and Madhesi communities, they have been celebrating it together by sitting at the same place, on the banks of ponds and rivers, and offering flowers, grains, fruits, and cow's milk and curd to the setting sun and the rising sun. I am very happy that Chhath festival has become a festival of cultural and religious harmony.
Regardless of the caste or community, the main feature of this festival is that all communities, regardless of their religious beliefs, meditate on God all night near the reservoir and sing bhajans and carefully offer argha to the sun, who nourishes and illuminates the world on this earth.
Chhath festival has been sending a message that we should treat each other with equal respect in any situation. There is neither cold nor hot in the weather. It is the responsibility of all of us to celebrate Chhath festival, which falls in the holy hour of this Kartik month, with great enthusiasm. It is also the duty of all of us to maintain social harmony in society by eliminating sporadic distortions.
Warm greetings to everyone on the occasion of the nationwide cultural festival of Chhath 2082, with the desire for harmony among humans, happiness, peace, development and prosperity, and good governance. Tilprasad Neupane, Machhapokhari Chowk, Kathmandu
