Chhath Puja | Chhath Puja 2024

Festival represents the culture, devotion, faith, community, religion, and many more of the people. One of the popular festivals like Dog Festival, Tihar, and Dashain celebrated by Hindus is Chhath Puja. The festival is primarily celebrated in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, as well as in parts of Nepal.

In Chhath Puja, devotees worship the Sun God, Surya, and his sister, Chhathi Maiya, for bestowing life and energy on earth. The Chhath Puja 2024 is also starting soon. This year it will begin on November 7 and continue until November 10. The festival is mainly dedicated to gratitude and prayer, as devotees seek blessings for health, prosperity, and happiness.

This festival lasts for four days, during which devotees do strict rituals which include holy dips in rivers, prolonged fasting, and standing in water while offering prayers at sunrise and sunset. Chhath Puja is known for its strict and tough traditions. To celebrate this festival, worshipers and people gather on riverbanks and ponds, singing devotional songs and lighting diyas (lamps) as they pray to the sun. The final offerings, known as Arghya, are made to the setting and rising sun, symbolizing reverence and renewal.

To know more details about Chhath Puja 2024, we have listed everything about it in this blog. Learning and exploring new cultures and festivals is a great opportunity.

What is Chhath Puja 2024?

In Chhath Puja people worship the Sun God, Surya, who represents energy and life. This festival is celebrated to bring well-being, prosperity, and progress into people’s lives.

Chhath Puja is also known by different names like Surya Shashti, Chhath, Chhathi, Chhath Parv, Dala Puja, and Dala Chhath. It is an ancient festival dedicated to the Sun God. Chhath Puja is celebrated in the month of Kartik during Shukla Shashthi. According to the Gregorian calendar, it usually falls in October or November. Around this month, the weather becomes pleasant which makes the celebration even more joyful and lively.

It is celebrated for four days and during all these days the atmosphere becomes so lively with Chhath songs, rituals, lights, and fireworks. To celebrate it families gather to perform various traditions, creating a sense of community and happiness. People take holy dips in rivers, fast, and offer special foods to the sun during this time.

Four Days of Rituals in Chhath Puja:

Celebrating Chhath Puja is not everyone’s cup of tea because it requires lots of rigorous rituals. That’s why, only most devotees do this puja. This four-day festival requires lots of tradition with pure intention and all.

To go more in-depth on the Chhath Puja 2024 festival which is celebrated every year, below we have jotted it down in detail for simple understanding.

Day 1: Nahay Khay

The first day of Chhath Puja is called Nahay Khay, which means “to bathe and eat.” Devotees start the festival by cleaning their homes and bathing in a holy river or pond to purify themselves. After bathing, they prepare a special meal. This meal usually consists of rice, lentils, and seasonal vegetables. This meal is offered to the family members and is considered a symbol of purity.

On this day, devotees also set up an altar in their homes for Chhathi Maiya and the Sun God. They gather fresh fruits, flowers, and other items for the offerings. The rituals performed on Nahay Khay is the beginning of the festival. It signifies the importance of cleanliness and devotion.

Day 2: Kharna

The second day is known as Kharna. On this day, devotees do fasting from sunrise until sunset. In the evening, after offering prayers to the Sun God, they prepare a special dish made of Jaggery (a type of unrefined sugar) and rice. This sweet dish is also called Kheer. They also share it with family members as part of the celebration.

After the meal, devotees perform a ritual called Arghya. In this ritual, they offer water and prayers to the Sun God, expressing gratitude for the blessings received.

Day 3: Chhath

The third day is the main day of Chhath, known simply as Chhath. This day starts with significant rituals that begin early in the morning. Devotees prepare for the evening Arghya, which is the main offering to the setting sun. They gather in groups near rivers or ponds, carrying baskets filled with fruits, sweets, and other offerings.

As the sun begins to set, devotees stand in the water, facing the west, and perform the Arghya ritual. They offer water and prepared food to the sun while singing traditional songs.

Day 4: Usha Arghya

The final day of Chhath Puja is called Usha Arghya. On this final day, devotees wake up early to offer prayers to the rising sun. They gather once again at the riverbanks or ponds, this time facing the east. The offerings prepared on this day are similar to those of the previous day, and the atmosphere is filled with joy and excitement as the festival comes to an end.

During the Usha Arghya ritual, devotees sing songs and offer water and food to the rising sun. After completing the rituals, families share meals which often include special foods prepared during the festival. They make delicious sweets called Thekua and gather fruits and sugarcane, placing them in bamboo baskets.

Chhath Puja Dates

The Chhath Puja 2024 will be celebrated on the following dates:

1. Nahay Khay: November 7, 2024
2. Kharna: November 8, 2024
3. Chhath (Main Day): November 9, 2024
4. Usha Arghya (Final Day): November 10, 2024

Chhath Puja Songs

One of the highlights part of this festival is Chhath Puja. Below we have the list of Chhath Puja songs:

1. Hey Chhathi Maiya (1986) by Sharda Sinha
2. Ho Deenanath (1986) by Sharda Sinha
3. Kelwa Ke Paat Par (1986) by Sharda Sinha
4. Uthau Suruj Bhaile Bihaan (1986) by Sharda Sinha
5. Sama Khele Chalali (1986) by Sharda Sinha
6. Ugihen Suraj Gosaiyan Hey (1986) by Sharda Sinha
7. Hey Ganga Maiya (1986) by Sharda Sinha
8. Bahangi Lachkat Jaye (2016) by Pawan Singh
9. Chhath Puja (2022) by Pawan Singh
10. Jal Beech Khada Hoee (Jode Jode Phalwa) (2012) by Pawan Singh
11. Chhath Kare Sasurari Me (2020) by Pawan Singh
12. Kaanch Hi Baans Ke Bahangiya (1996) by Anuradha Paudwal
13. Jode Jode Supwa Tora (2003) by Kalpana Patowary
14. Angna Mein Pokhri Khonaib (2001) by Kavita Paudwal
15. Chal Ganga Kinare by (2023) by Khesari Lal Yadav

History Behind Celebrating Chhath Puja

Chhath Puja is an ancient festival with a long history. It is said to have started in the Vedic period, which is when the oldest Hindu texts, called the Vedas, were written. The Rigveda, one of these texts, contains hymns that praise the Sun God, Surya. These hymns show practices that are similar to Chhath Puja today.

One well-known story about Chhath Puja is from the Mahabharata, a famous two-Sanskrit epic poem. In this story, Draupadi, who is the wife of the five Pandavas, performs the rituals of Chhath Puja.

The Pandavas ruled a kingdom called Indraprastha, which is now Delhi. They followed the advice of a wise sage named Dhaumya. By honoring Lord Surya, Draupadi overcame her troubles and helped the Pandavas regain their kingdom.

Similarly, Chhath Puja is also linked to ancient sages, or rishis, who believed they could get energy from the sun. They used similar rituals to stay healthy without eating food.

Another important story is about Lord Rama and Mata Sita. After returning to Ayodhya from 14 years in exile. During, this time they fasted and prayed to the Sun God during the month of Kartik. This event marked their coronation and made Chhath Puja an important festival in Hindu culture. Since then, people have celebrated Chhath Puja every year to honor the Sun God and give thanks for life and good fortune.

What are the benefits of Chhath Puja?

Though Chhath Puja might be a festival, it also has lots of health benefits. One important part of the festival is singing folk songs. During the ritual of this festival, you have to spend a lot of time in the sun. The sunlight that people absorb helps improve their health as it makes their blood cells work better. Healthy blood cells are very important as they help the body fight off sickness. It also helps keep the body’s hormones balanced, which is essential for overall health.

The sunlight during Chhath Puja gives people the energy they need and helps cleanse their bodies, keeping them healthy. This festival is also good for mental health. The rituals create a calm feeling in the mind and help remove negative thoughts and energies from the body. This calming effect is called Pranic flow which controls jealousy, anger, and other negative emotions.

With regular practice of these rituals, some people feel like healing and have strong intuition. Additionally, Chhath Puja encourages people to take care of nature and use resources wisely.