Saturday, November 13, 2010

The Chhath festival is the holiest of holy festival as flashed on the f.b. on Nov.13,2010.

Bishwa Nath Singh :
The Chhath festival is dedicated to the worship of Sun God who is also popularly known as 'Surya Shashti'.The word 'Chhath' means six in Hindi and the festival is performed by the devotees on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik.The festival is popularly celebrated in Indian states like Bihar, Jharkhand... and Uttar Pradesh. But the Bihari community in others states, including Delhi, Lucknow, Bhopal,Kolkata and Mumbai, also celebrate the festival with equal fervor. On this auspicious day of Chhath puja, the bathing ritual is followed by a period of 'self-restraint' and ritual segregation of the worshiper from the main household for the next four days. During this period, the worshiper sleeps on the floor with nothing but a blanket.The devotees offer prayer to the setting sun and then the rising sun.The main worshipers are called Parvaitin who are usually married women. However, a large number of men even I also observe this festival. The women pray for the good of their family and for the betterment of her offspring. It is believed by the followers that once the festival is observed by a family, and then it becomes their responsibility to follow it every year and also make their following generation celebrate the occasion.The 'Prasadam' offerings include sweets and fruit offered in small bamboo winnows To maintain Purity is a crucial thing in this festival, besides cleanliness and as devotees strictly cook vegetarian foods during this period.The four days of Chhath puja are called- Nahaikhay ( bath and eat), Kharna (the day before Chhath), Chhath Sanjhiya Arghya (evening offerings) and Patah Arghaya ( morning offerings at the time of Rising Sun) and then Paran (the day after Chhath).The devotees who perform the ritual on this day, enjoys several benefits as it causes great detoxification effect on the body and the mind as mental moods can result in biochemical changes. Nevertheless to mention that Chhath Sanjhaya Arghya (evening offering to the setting Sun) was performed with great devotion and fervor.Shortly, we will be moving to the Ghat-the bank of river to have a deep and offer our morning offerings to Sun God at the time of rising Sun in the east and after that we will do “hawan(mango’s dry woods or sandal woods soaked in Cow’s Ghee are burnt with other” hawan” materials) and after paying respectful obeisances to the Sun God river & all elders, we will take Prasdam and ensure that every one gets "Prasadam" and that is how we will conclude the long awaited Chhath festival.
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Bishwa Nath Singh :A devotee is seen offering her prayers to the rising sun with her “ Prasadam” comprising of home made Thekua ( made of wheat flour, ghee, sugar& dry fruits),sweets, both dry & fresh fruits covered nicely with a new cloth in a small bamboo winnows while her youngest son is seen offering cow's milk on her palm.

Bishwa Nath Singh A devotee is none else than my wife and the boy pouring milk happens to be the youngest son of mine who is practicing lawyer now. The said Photo was taken on th eve of Chhath last year.
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f.b.
Nov.13,2010.

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