Chhath Puja is being celebrated from Vedic ages. The festival is dedicated to Lord Surya (God Sun). It is celebrated to thank Surya for showering blessings and sustaining life & energy on earth.The rituals and traditions of Chhath Puja are considered to one of the toughest as the Vratti or the devotee fasts for 36 hours without a single bite of the food or a single drop of water. Though, people follow different rituals but there are some which are common and followed by all.Rituals & TraditionsDay 1: Naha Khay - Naha Khay is the name of the first day of the Dala Chhath. On this day, the Vratti bathe, especially in the Ganga River, and bring the rivers holy water to produce prasad at home.Day 2: Kharna - A day long fast (without water) is observed by the devotees. Devotees fast for a whole day and end it in the evening after worshipping Chhathi Maiya and eating Prasad. Day 3: Sandhya Arghya - Vrattis practise a fast on the third day, going without food or drink. The preparation of the puja offerings takes almost the entire day. Every offering (Arghya) is stored in a metal basket, a Supali composed of fine bamboo sticks, or a Dauri, a basket made of bamboo sticks. Thekua, Puri, Coconut, Banana, Apple, Orange, and other seasonal fruits make up the offers.People gather near the banks of rivers, ponds, or other bodies of pure water to carry out evening rituals. There, all of the Vrattis—friends, family, and neighbors—gather to present Sandhya Arghya to the Sun God.Kosi (Kosiya): One of the most radiant and lovely occasions of Chhath Pooja is Kosi bharna or Kosiya. Kosi is celebrated in the houses courtyard or angna after the Sandhya Arghya or Sanjhiya Ghaat. Typically, kosi consists of earthen pots or lamps shaded by five or twenty-four sugarcane sticks bound together with a yellow fabric. On the ghats early in the morning, before to Bhorwa, Bihani, or Morning Arghya, the same kosi ceremony is observed.Day 4: Bihaniya or Bhorwa Ghat (Morning Arghya) - This is the last day of this auspicious and holy celebration, or you could say its final day. To offer bhorwa arghya, the devotees congregate by the riverbank with their loved ones.After offering Arghya, devotees knee-down at the ghat to worship Chhathi Maiya, distribute thekua and then come back to home.After their return from the ghat, the devotees take blessings of the elders and break their fast by eating ginger with water. Different types of delicious foods are made to serve the vratti, in the last.
