I shifted to Bombay in the year 1985 from Bareilly. I was born a brought up in Western Uttar Pradesh and honestly speaking, I never heard about Chhath Puja. That year,one of my Bihari friend asked me to accompany his family to Juhu beach on the sixth day after Deepavali for a family ritual. That was the time when most of the Bombaites were also not aware about this festival. It was evening time, and around fifty sixty ladies in traditional Bihari attire praying sun half immersed in water with folded hands and offering vegetables, herbs of season and home cooked savories in a tray made of bamboo sheets.The time has passed since, now Chhath Puja at Juhu beach has become one of the biggest event of the metro , it attracts lakhs of devotees. The occasion also utilized by political leaders of Bihari origin who want to capitalise on the religious sentiments.
Chhath Puja, also known as Surya Shashti, is a very important festival celebrated in the Bihar, Jharkhand, Nepals' regions closer to Bihar as well as some parts of Eastern UP. Wherever Bihari migrated whether it is Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Delhi, Mumbai, far flung Fiji and Mauritius Chhath is celebrated with same fervor. It is dedicated to Sun God which people believe sustains life on earth. Chhath Puja is also performed to seek blessings from the Sun God to promote prosperity and progress. The traditional rituals followed by people are quite strenuous in nature and are observed for a period of four days. The customs associated with Chhath Puja include holy bathing, fasting and refraining from even drinking water. It also includes rigorous physical customs like standing in water for extended periods, and offering prayer and prasad during the sun rise and sunset.But it is probably only puja for which people do not invite a Brahmin to perform it is done in the most organic way.
Some people claim that the festival has origin dates back to Vedic times, as Vedic texts contains rituals associated with the Sun worship But more than worshiping it is an individuals' personal business with Sun, to warm the limbs and enjoy a bath in the river, pond, lake or sea before it gets too cold, and to acknowledge the heat and light of the sun as the source of life and health.
Some people claim that the festival has origin dates back to Vedic times, as Vedic texts contains rituals associated with the Sun worship But more than worshiping it is an individuals' personal business with Sun, to warm the limbs and enjoy a bath in the river, pond, lake or sea before it gets too cold, and to acknowledge the heat and light of the sun as the source of life and health.
Usha, the radiant dawn, is personalised as Chhath Mai, and home made thekuya also plays a very pleasant role too, it is also one of the special offering or prasad during the festivity .It is made of wheat, ghee, jaggery with a hint of fennel or cardamon. Its biscuit like texture suggests that it was evolved as a travel food just like the churma baati of Rajasthan, kachodi and mathari in Western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. In case of thekuya, it does seem as though made to be taken along for journey to the river bank by bullock cart or on foot in old times, to be eaten- as snacks for breaking the fast.
That is us the regular people in the real life, but apparently there are epic examples also. Sita and Ram had also observed this ritual after coming home from exile, the Vanbas. Draupadi is also believed to have observed it in gratitude for her life and health.
People link this festival to a number of health benefits, the sunlight has significant effect the glands and helps in proper secretion of body hormones. The solar energy received from sunlight also meets the energy requirements of the body. The practice of Chhath also helps in providing a state of mental calmness. The regularized pranic flow of air during Chhath can help in reducing the frequency of anger, jealously and other negative emotions. The whole process of Chhath Puja leads to detoxification of the body and mind. Detoxification further enhances the energy levels in the body. The increased energy and immunity system serves in fighting the harmful toxins in the body. Some people believe that the Chhath process can improve eye sight, enhance the appearance of skin, and facilitate in slowing the ageing process.
It is fascinating to think that Chhath Puja has been going on for so very long as a personal pact between individuals and the sun.
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