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New Delhi, October 25 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended his warm greetings to devotees across the country on the occasion of Nahay Khay, marking the beginning of the four-day Chhath Puja.
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PM Modi said, “This great festival of our culture is a symbol of simplicity and restraint, its purity and adherence to discipline is incomparable. The scenes seen at Chhath Ghats on this holy occasion provide a wonderful inspiration for family and social harmony. The ancient tradition of Chhath has had a deep impact on our society.”
He further wished that Chhathi Maiya bestows her abundant blessings on everyone.
He said, “Today, Chhath is celebrated as a major cultural festival in every corner of the world. Indian families across the world participate wholeheartedly in its traditions. I wish that Chhath Maiya continues to shower her abundant blessings on everyone.”
PM Modi further said that Chhath festival is a unique confluence of faith, worship and love for nature.
PM Modi said, “Chhath Mahaparva is a unique confluence of faith, worship and love for nature. While Arghya is offered to the setting and rising sun, the Arghya also includes the diverse colors of nature. The songs and tunes of Chhath Puja are also imbued with the unique feeling of devotion and love for nature.”
He further recalled that late Sharda Sinha, the nightingale of Bihar, had a deep connection with Begusarai.
PM Modi said, “I was lucky that I got the opportunity to visit Begusarai just yesterday. Bihar’s nightingale, Sharda Sinha, had a deep connection with Begusarai. Sharda Sinha and many other folk artists of Bihar have added a unique touch to the Chhath festival through their songs.”
PM Modi further also shared a song of Sharda Sinha, who died during the Chhath festival last year.
He said, “Today on this great festival, I am sharing with you such songs of Chhathi Maiya, listening to which everyone will be mesmerized.”
On the first day, devotees, known as ‘Vrati’ (people who fast)’, take a holy dip in rivers or ponds and after offering prayers, consume a simple, ‘satvik (possessing the qualities of purity, harmony and balance)’ food of arava rice (plain rice) and bottle gourd curry (gourd vegetable). Other traditional food items like chana dal, amla chutney and papad are prepared and later served as ‘Prasad (ritual food offering)’.
Mass gatherings are expected at various bathing ghats across the country, where thousands of devotees will participate in the rituals with unwavering faith.
Chhath Puja has its roots in Satyayuga and Dwapar Yuga, considered to be one of the oldest forms of Sun worship. Devotees observe a strict fast, abstaining from food and water for long periods of time, to express devotion and seek blessings of prosperity, health and happiness. It is believed that worshiping the Sun during Chhath removes negativity and brings peace and positivity.
Chhath Puja is one of the most important Hindu festivals, celebrated mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. It is also celebrated in some parts of Nepal and among Indian communities around the world.
Dedicated to the worship of Sun God and his sister Chhathi Maiya, this festival emphasizes on purity, gratitude and the well-being of one’s family.
The four-day celebration involves elaborate rituals that symbolize purification, faith, and self-control:
Day 1 – Nahai Khai: The festival begins with devotees taking a holy dip in the river or pond to purify themselves. They bring vegetables and pulses and prepare the first prasad with emphasis on cleanliness and purity.
Day 2 – Kharna: On this day, devotees observe a strict fast from sunrise to sunset. They prepare prasad of jaggery, rice and wheat and break their fast after offering the prasad to the deity in the evening. ‘Prasad (ritual food offerings)’ are shared with family, friends and neighbors to promote unity and community spirit.
Day 3 – Evening Arghya: Devotees gather near water bodies in the evening to offer ‘Arghya’ (prayers and offerings) to the setting sun. They offer fruits, sugarcane and prasad to express gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on earth.
Day 4 – Usha Arghya: The last day is dedicated to offering Arghya to the rising sun. Devotees break their fast after offering Prasad, a symbol of renewal and spiritual rebirth. Symbolizing the end of the ritual, Prasad is distributed among the family and community members.
Chhath Puja is celebrated with simplicity, dedication and purity. The offerings, including fruits, vegetables and sweets, represent the gifts of nature, and the ritual of fasting and prayer reflects the devotees’ desire to purify the body, mind and soul. The primary essence of Chhath Puja is gratitude, as it promotes respect for natural resources and a harmonious relationship between nature and mankind.
–IANS
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