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New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) As Chhath Puja concluded with the rising sun on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his warm wishes to all the devotees and vratis as well as every countryman participating in the holy festival.
He further said that during this four-day ritual, we witnessed the divine manifestation of our grand tradition of Chhath Puja.
Chhath Puja was completed on Tuesday morning after four days of devotion and fasting. Celebrated every year after Diwali, this festival is dedicated to express gratitude to Sun God and Chhathi Maiya for the blessings of health, wealth and prosperity.
May Prime Minister Modi, on his social media platform, may the blessings of Chhathi Maiya always brighten your life.”
According to the Hindu calendar, Chhath Puja falls on the sixth day (Shashthi Tithi) of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month, which is usually six days after Diwali. The festival lasts for four days, starting with Nahay Khay and ending with Usha Arghya, a prayer offering to the rising sun.
The festival begins with Nahay Khay (25 October), when devotees take a holy bath and prepare simple food. On the second day, Kharna (26 October), a day-long fast is observed from morning to evening and ends with the offering of rasiya (sweet porridge) and roti. The third day marks Sandhya Arghya, when ‘Nirjala Vrat’ (fasting without water) begins, which continues till the early hours of the fourth day (Usha Arghya).
It is believed that Chhath Puja started in ancient times. According to legend, Lord Ram and Goddess Sita performed the first Chhath Puja after returning to Ayodhya to seek blessings from the Sun God for prosperity.
One of the most important Hindu festivals, Chhath Puja, is 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.
Since Tuesday morning, devotees have gathered on the river banks to offer Usha Arghya. Images from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra show women standing in cool water, immersed in devotion as the sun rises.
–IANS
JK/SD