Chhath Puja: Deep Meanings Behind Every Ritual Celebrating Nature, Devotion, and Purity

What Is Chhath Puja?

Chhath Puja is a four-day ancient Hindu festival made popular in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal, and is directed to the Sun God Surya and his consort Usha. This festival streamlines the appreciation of nature’s energy as a life-giving force as well as spiritual purity. It is one of the oldest Vedic festivals of light that illustrates respect and appreciation to the Sun for being a source of life. 

Day 1: Nahay Khay | Cleansed and Prepared

The initial ritual, Nahay Khay, finds all devotees bathing in a river or freshwater source in order to purify the devotee’s body and mind. Essentially, this act purifies the inner self by eliminating impurities and awakes a devotee into a mantras/meditative practice of fasting and praying. Often a devotee eats plain vegetarian meals that identify and symbolize purity and self-restraint. 

Day 2: Kharna | Fasting and Discipline

On second day of the fasting process, devotees refrain from eating and drinking water throughout the daylight hours and break the fast in the evening when the devotee eats foods considered traditional including jaggery and rice pudding. This specific ritual solidifies mental power, deep devotion, and appreciation to divine forces who generate life and seek to carry life through happiness and abundance. 

Day 3: Sandhya Arghya | Evening Offering to the Sun

The third day is the main ritual day when devotees stand in water to offer Arghya to the setting sun. The offerings are fruits, sugarcane, and thekua sweet, along with earthen lamps. The purpose of Arghya is to express gratitude for sustaining crops, health, and life itself. The offering of Arghya strengthens the connections of the individual person to eternal cosmic forces.

Day 4: Usha Arghya and Parana | New Beginnings

On the fourth day at the time of sunrise, devotees again offer prayers and offerings to the rising sun, symbolizing new beginnings, hope and blessings. This spans also marks the closure of the fast called Parana, in the final ritual for Chhath, devotees break their 36-hour fast with any sanctified food. This culminates in an expression of faith and revitalization for the future.

Symbolism and Social Cohesion

The most lasting values or philosophy represented in Chhath Puja is absolute purity way of life, equality in spirituality and respect for the environment, while recognizing the role of clean water sources, and people coming together and joining in community during Chhath Puja in devotion for family welfare. Chhath Puja recognizes feminine strength and power for spirituality especially with one expecting mothers. Chhath Puja is egalitarian, in its overall practice number, which leaves behind cast, class or other divisions in society and enables all castes, unsanctioned castes and classes to become devotees. 

Overall Chhath Puja is a beautiful interweaving of nature-worship, fast-keeping, faith, and gratitude for sustaining forces of all life process, all with a deep sense of spirituality, community cohesion with universal or community trustworthiness.

The interpretations of Chhath Puja rituals are based on traditional beliefs, cultural practices, and regional customs. Readers are encouraged to follow their family traditions and consult local priests for specific rituals and timings.