As the Chhath festival unfolds, fervor fills the Mithila region with devotees gearing up for the four-day celebration dedicated to the worship of the ‘Sun God.’
Commencing today with the ritual of ‘Nahay Khay,’ devotees have embraced the ‘Araba Arabain’ method, abstaining from impure foods like boiled rice, millet, lentils, and meat on the third day of Kartik Shukla.
Traditionally, fasting begins on the third day following a regular meal, with songs resonating the worship of the Sun God and Chhathi Devi echoing across the Mithila region.
The religiously significant ponds and river premises in Mithila are adorned like brides, marking the advent of Chhath.
While Chhath allows devotees of all genders to observe fasting, it is predominantly women who are seen participating and worshiping the Sun God. ‘Nahay Khay,’ observed on the first day of Chhath, involves a holy dip and the consumption of pure food items, setting the tone for the rigorous fasting ahead.
The Chhath festivities have enlivened marketplaces and public spaces, with devotees actively preparing for the celebrations throughout the Mithila region.
The festival, serving as a common cultural symbol in Tarai/Madhes, is dedicated to the Sun God, aiming to promote well-being, prosperity, and progress.
Scheduled to conclude on the upcoming Monday with the rising sun, this year’s Chhath festival follows a ritualistic pattern encompassing a holy bath, prolonged fasting, and the worship of the Sun, accompanied by the offering of prasad and argha (curd) to the ‘Rising and Setting Sun.’
Chhath, a festival of bathing and worship, involves a period of abstinence and segregation from the main household for four days.
During this time, devotees maintain purity, sleeping on the floor with a single blanket. The festival celebrates the cycle of birth starting with death, making it a profound and revered form of Sun worship.