Chhath Puja, also known as Sun Shashthi, is celebrated with Kartik Shukla Shashthi. The festival is celebrated after the six-day Diwali festival and is especially celebrated in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. In Chhath Puja, one can obtain health, prosperity and happiness by worshiping the sun god and his Chhathi Maiya. Chat Pooja has gained particular importance as a folk festival in recent years. For this reason, festivals are celebrated with pomp and show.
Meaning of Chhath Puja and Chhathi Maiya
Chhath Puja is dedicated to the sun god. The sun is the visible god of all beings and the basis of life for all living things on earth. Besides the sun god, Chathi Maya is also worshiped on this day. According to Vedic astrology, Chati Maya or Chati Mata protects offspring and bestows longevity.
In Hinduism, Shashtidevi is also known as the Mana daughter of Brahma Her Ji. In the Puranas, she is also said to be the mother whom Kachayani worshiped on Shashti day of Navratri.Shashthi Devi is said to be the local language of Bihar-Jharkhand Chhath Maiya.
Chhath Puja Festival
Chhath Puja is a four day folk festival. This is his 4 day festival which starts with Kartik Shukla Chaturthi and ends with Kartik Shukla Saptami.
Nahay Khay (first day)
This is the first day of Chhath Puja
This means, after bathing, cleaning the house and eating vegetarian food to keep the spirit from vengeance.
Karuna means fasting for one day. On this day, believers cannot drink even a drop of water. In the evening, you can eat gurki kir (jaggery kir), fruits and ghee-filled chapattis.
Sandhya Arghya (Third Day)
On the third day of Chhath Puja, Arghya is dedicated to the Sun God during Kartik Shukla Shashthi. In the evening, bamboo baskets are garnished with fruit, tequa and rice his laddus, after which devotees and their families offer arughaya to the sun. During Arghya, water and milk are offered to the sun god and Chhathi Maiya is worshiped from his Prasad-filled broth. After worshiping the sun god, Shashti Devi songs are sung and Vrat Katha is heard at night.
Usha Arghya (Day 4)
On the last morning of Chhath Puja, Arghya is dedicated to the Sun God. On this day, before sunrise, devotees must go to the river bank to offer Argia to the rising sun. After that, the protection of the child from Chatimaiyah and the happiness of the whole family are sought in peace. After the prayer, devotees drink Shabbat and raw milk and eat a little prasad to break the fast called Paran or Parana.
Chhath Puja Vidhi
Bring all Samaguri tribes before Chhath Puja and offer Arghya to the Sun God:
3 large bamboo baskets, 3 bamboo or brass soups, plates, milk and glasses.
● Rice, vermillion, rump, coconut, turmeric, sugarcane, stani, vegetables, sweet potato
pear, large lemon, honey, bread, whole herd, caravan, camphor, sandalwood, dessert
tequa, malpua as prasad , keel puri, semolina pudding, rice lados.
Chhath Puja Arghya Vidhi
Put his Chhath Puja Samagri above in a bamboo basket
Put all prasad in soap and burn the lamp with soap. Then all the women with traditional soap in their hands stand in knee-deep water and offer Argya to the sun.
Legends related to Chhath Puja Chhathi Maiya is worshiped during the
Chhath festival, which is also mentioned in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana. According to legend, the son of the first Manu Swayambhu, King Priyavrat, was childless. Because of this, he used to be very sad. Maharishi Kashyap asked him to perform a yajna. As instructed by the Maharishi, he performed a yajna for his son. Queen Malini later gave birth to a boy, but unfortunately the baby was stillborn. King and other family members were very saddened by this. Only then was the ship on which Mata Shashti was sitting visible in the sky. When the king prayed to her, she introduced herself and said, "I am Lord Brahma, daughter of Mana of Shashti Devi.
Afterwards, the Goddess blessed the lifeless child with her hands and brought it back to life.The King was very pleased with the grace of the Goddess and worshiped the Goddess Shashti Devi. Later this festival is believed to be celebrated all over the world
Religious and Cultural Significance of Chat Puja
Chat Puja is a festival of religious and cultural significance. This is the only festival where the sun god is worshiped and Argia is dedicated to him. Sun worship in Hinduism is very important. He is the only God we see regularly. In the Vedas, the sun god is called the soul of the world. Sunlight has the power to destroy many diseases. Due to the auspicious effects of the sun, one gains health, prosperity and self-confidence.In Vedic astrology, the sun is said to be the element of the soul, father, ancestors, respect and high officials. In Chhath Puja, worship of the sun god and his Shashti Maiya is accomplished for people, children, pleasures and desires. Culturally, the main features of this festival are the simplicity of tradition, purity and love of nature.
Importance of Chhath Puja Methods of Astrology
Chhath Festival is also of great importance from a scientific and astrological point of view. Kartik Shukla Paksha's sixth titi is a special astronomical event when the sun is in the southern hemisphere of the earth. During this time, the sun's ultraviolet rays accumulate above the normal amount on Earth. The direct effects of these harmful rays are on people's eyes, stomach and skin. Argyya worship and offerings to the sun during Chat Puja add to the importance of sun worship, as ultraviolet rays must not harm a person.