Chhatt Puja is a four day Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya, and has been celebrated by Indians for centuries now. It is celebrated six days post Diwali or on the sixth day of the Hindu month of Kartik.
Chhatt Puja shall begin on 8 November, 2021 this year with the Nahay Khay and conclude on 11 November, 2021 with the Usha Arghya.
While Chhath Puja is especially celebrated in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Eastern Uttar Pradesh, it is also Interestingly celebrated in the country of Nepal.
Chhath Puja is an occasion where Lord Surya is worshiped by devotees for the peace, well being and prosperity of their family members over a span of four days.
While it is commonly women who fast during the Chhath puja, some men also participate in the fast.
The people who celebrate Chhath Puja start the preparations for it a day after Diwali. This year, the preparations across India began on 5 November, 2021.
The vratis or the devotees then begin to eat only Satvik food (food that is devoid of onion and garlic) and eat only after taking a bath.
Nahay Khay
The first day of Chhath Puja is called Nahay Khay and it is being observed on 8 November 2021 this year. On the day of Nahay Khay, devotees take a bath early in the morning, wear fresh clean clothes and prepare a prasad or offering for Lord Surya. Chana daal and Kaddoo Bhaat are one of the popular dishes that are preapred by vratis as prasad on this day.
The Puja timings for Nahay Khay are as follows-
Sunrise: 06:38 AM
Sunset: 05:31 PM
Kharna
The second day of the Chhath Puja is called Kharna and it shall be celebrated on 9 November 2021 this year.
On the day of Kharna, devotees prepare a prasad of kheer made with gud and arwa chawal. Also, post consuming this prasad, devotees begin an arduous nirjala fast ( a fast without water) that lasts for 36 hours.
The Puja timings for Kharna are as follows-
Sunrise: 06:39 AM
Sunset : 05:31 PM
Sandhya Arghya or Pehli Arghya
The third day of Chhath Puja is the most important day of the Chhath puja celebrations. It shall be celerbated on 10 November 2021 this year. Devotees continue to observe a fast without eating or drinking a single drop of water.
Prasad of thekua made with jaggery, ghee and flour is prepared by the devotees for the puja. Henceforth, later at sunset, the vratis along with their families offer arghya to Lord Surya in a water body, which is also called Sandhya Arghya or Pehli Arghya.
The prasad is one of the most important elements of the chhath puja and it is not meant to be touched even the slightest by salt.
The fast of the Sandhya Arghya then continues for the entire night till the sunrise of the next day.
The Puja timings for the main Chhath puja day are as follows-
Sunrise: 06:40 AM
Sunset: 05:30 PM
Usha Arghya or Dusri Arghya and Paran Din
The fourth and last day of the Chhath Puja is known as Paran Din. It shall be celebrated on 11 November 2021.
On this day devotees offer Usha Arghya or Dusri Argya to the rising sun as they stand with their feet dipped in a water body, conclude their fast and eventually distribute prasad to the people around them.
The puja timings for Paran Din are as follows-
Sunrise: 06:41 AM
Sunset: 05:29 PM
Chhath Puja 2021: Samagri List
The samagri list for Chhath puja typically involves a suit or sari, two large bamboo baskets, bamboo or brass soup, a glass for milk and water, a pot and a plate, 5 sugarcane leaves attached, sweet potato and suthni, betel and betel nut, turmeric, radish and Green plant of ginger, sweet lemon with big one, custard apple, banana, pear, coconut with water, sweets, jaggery, wheat, rice flour, thekua, rice, vermilion, lamp, honey and incense.
We at The Quint wish you all a very Happy Chhath Puja 2021
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