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Hindu Chhath Puja festival  

 

Iwona Karbowska
Thursday 30 October 2014 10:39 EDT
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A Nepalese woman offers prayers during rituals marking Chhath festival at the Bagmati River in Katmandu, Nepal
A Nepalese woman offers prayers during rituals marking Chhath festival at the Bagmati River in Katmandu, Nepal

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The four-day Hindu festival, Chhath Puja, the worship of the setting and rising Sun, is dedicated to the God of Sun (Surya) and Chhatti Mai (Goddess of Power).

The festival's aim is to thank the God for sustaining life and energy on earth. It is considered as the festival of forgiveness and compassion, which sees devotees making cultural bonds and distribute fruits and sweetmeats.

The Chhath Puja is seen as a serene event when bejeweled women in colorful saris visit the banks of rivers and ponds, singing folk songs. They then take a dip in the water and pray to the Sun god with pure devotion.

The festival begins on the sixth day of the lunar month of Kartika, which is where the festival gets its name. The word ‘Chhath’ means the number six in Hindi.

The Chhath Puja is celebrated in many parts of India such as West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as well as various parts of Nepal.

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