The four-day long festival of Chhath Puja is wide celebrated in Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. The festival of Chhath is celebrated on the sixth day, which is Shashthi Tithi of Shukla Paksha in Kartik Maas. This year, the festival will begin from November 17 and will continue till November 20. Other names of Chhath PujaChhath Puja is also known as Surya Shashti, Chhath, Chhathi, Chhath Parv, Dala Puja and Dala Chhath.The Sun God (Surya dev), the god of energy and of the life-force, is worshipped during the Chhath Puja to promote well-being, prosperity and progress.The four-day long festival comprise of Nahay Khay, Lohanda and Kharna, Sandhya Arghya and Usha Arghya that will be observed on November 17, November 18, November 19 and November 20, respectively. Chhath Puja is in practice since Vedic ages, according to scriptures. It is said that Karna, who was the son of the Sun and the king of Bhagalpur, Bihar, performed this puja. It is also said that the Sita was blessed with Luv and Kush after she did the Chhath Puja.Though there are several rituals that are followed by married women during Chhath puja but the most common that is followed is applying the orange-coloured long Sindoor on forehead. Importance of applying long SindoorSindoor is a traditional shringaar that is worn by women as a symbol of her love and devotion to their husbands and marital relation.According to mythological scriptures, it is believed – the longer the sindoor, the longer husbands life is. For how many hours the fast is performed in four-day long pujaChhath Puja starts with Nahay Khay on the first day following which a 36-hour fast Nirjala Vrat is observed by married women. After this, on the second day, Arghya is offered to Kharna and on the third day, Arghya is offered to the setting sun and on the fourth day, this fast will be broken by offering Arghya to the rising Sun.This 36-hour long fast (Nirjala Vrat) is one of the toughest and most sacred fast to do. According to mythological beliefs, there are number of things that a family and the person who is fasting has to follow. Family should never misbehave, avoid eating non-vegetarian food, use of natural products during four-day period. By following some rituals, the whole family get blessings of Lord Sun and Chhathi Maiya.Several dishes are offered as bhog prasad to God such as thekua, daal bhaat, rice kheer, laal saag and kaddu ki sabzi, papad.
