Chhath Puja is mainly celebrated in the Terai regions of Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal. This unique folk festival Chhath Puja (2021) is the biggest festival of Biharis. Chhath Puja is one such festival that has been going on in India since the Vedic times. According to Aryan tradition, this festival is celebrated in Bihar. This great festival of folk faith has become the culture of Biharis. The rituals of this worship are very strict. It is mainly a four-day festival in which a strict fast has to be observed. The fast of Chhath Mahaparva is observed by all men, women, older people, and young people.
The story behind Chhath Puja (2021)
There is a story behind when Chhath Puja started. According to Hindu tradition, once there was a terrible war between the asuras and the gods, the gods were defeated in the battle by the asuras. Then Aditi, the mother of the gods, wished for a brilliant son. She worshipped Chhathi Maiya in the Sun temple of Devaranya for the attainment of a son. Chhathi Maiya was pleased with the worship of Mata Aditi and blessed her to be a brilliant son with all virtues. After this, Aditi’s son was Aditya Bhagwan, who was the Tridev form. He gave victory to the gods over the demons. It is said that from that time, the name of this place became Dev in the name of Dev Sena Shashthi Devi, and the practice of Chhath also started.
Importance
The great festival of Chhath Puja (2021) begins on the third day of Bhai Dooj. The four-day festival begins on Kartik Shukla Chaturthi and ends on Kartik Shukla Saptami. There is a very difficult fast for the fasting people where they keep a fast of 36 hours. During this time, they do not even drink water. This festival is filled with devotion and spirituality. This festival consists of soup made of bamboo, baskets, earthen pots, sugarcane juice, prasad made of jaggery, rice, and wheat, and many other dishes.
This great festival of Chhath Puja is different from the rest of the scriptures. At its centre are not the scriptures like Vedas, Puranas, but farmers and rural life. This festival of mutual brotherhood and love is now slowly becoming prevalent all over the world. In addition, this festival has been seen as the identity of the North Indian Aryan people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Neither any special money nor any priest is required to perform Chhath Puja. It requires the cooperation of the neighbors, who are gladly and gratefully presented for their service.
Dates of Chhath Puja 2021
In this festival, from Kharna to Ardhyadan, there is an obligatory presence of the society. Let us see what the dates of Chhath Puja 2021 are?
- Bathing and eating: Chhath Puja begins with Nahay Khay, starting from Monday, November 8, 2021. On this day, Arva rice made from rock salt, ghee, and pumpkin curry is taken as prasad.
- Kharna: Kharna is also known as Lohanda. It is the second day of Chhath Puja and is also very important. This time the second day of Chhath Puja is on November 9, 2021. People who observe fast on this day observe fast for the whole day and take prasad of Kheer Roti at night. People keep a strict fast of 36 hours only after eating kheer in the night.
- Chhath Puja: This time, Chhath Puja 2021 is on November 10. Chhath Maiya and Sun God are worshipped on this day. People go to the Ganges Ghat and worship the setting sun. Chhath Puja is the only festival where the setting sun is worshipped. It is also called offering Arghya to the setting sun.
- Chhath Puja 2021 Ending: Chhath Puja ends with offering Arghya to the rising Sun. This year, this day is on November 11, 2021. After offering Argha to the Sun, the difficult fast of 36 hours is completed after Parana.
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