Chhath Puja is one of the most ancient and deeply revered festivals of India, a beautiful and demanding festival dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, the giver of life and energy. Celebrated with especial devotion in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and beyond, it is marked by rigorous fasting, austerity and purity, and by the moving custom of devotees standing in water to offer prayers and offerings to the setting and rising sun. A festival of thanksgiving to the sun for the sustenance of life, and of prayer for the well-being of the family, Chhath Puja is observed with extraordinary faith and discipline. This guide explores the meaning, the four days, the rigorous rituals and the celebrations of Chhath Puja, one of the most devout of India’s traditions.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Dedicated to | The Sun God, the giver of life |
| Celebrated in | Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and beyond |
| Duration | Celebrated over four days |
| Central ritual | Offering prayers to the setting and rising sun |
| Marked by | Rigorous fasting, austerity and purity |
| Spirit | Thanksgiving to the sun and devotion |
An Ancient Festival of the Sun
Chhath Puja is one of the most ancient and deeply revered festivals of India, a beautiful and demanding festival dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, the source of life and energy. Rooted in ancient traditions of sun worship, the festival honours the sun as the giver of life and light, and it is observed with extraordinary faith, devotion and discipline, above all in the eastern regions of India. It is a festival of thanksgiving to the sun and of prayer for the well-being of the family. As an ancient festival of the worship of the Sun God, observed with deep devotion and rigorous discipline, Chhath Puja holds a place of special reverence among the festivals of India.
Worship of the Sun God
At the heart of Chhath Puja is the worship of the Sun God, honoured as the source of life, energy and sustenance, whose light and warmth make all life possible. The festival expresses gratitude to the sun for its life-giving power and prays for its blessings on the family and the community, and it is one of the few festivals dedicated specifically to the direct worship of the sun. The Sun God, along with a goddess associated with the festival, is the focus of the devotion. This worship of the Sun God, honouring the sun as the giver of life and offering thanksgiving and prayer, is the spiritual heart of Chhath Puja and connects the festival to the ancient reverence for the sun as the source of all life and energy.
Chhathi Maiya
Along with the Sun God, the festival is dedicated to a beloved goddess known as Chhathi Maiya, who is worshipped and prayed to for the well-being and prosperity of the family. Chhathi Maiya is revered as a protector, especially of children, and devotees pray to her for the health, happiness and prosperity of their families, making her worship an important part of the festival alongside that of the sun. The devotion to Chhathi Maiya adds a further dimension to the festival. This worship of Chhathi Maiya, the beloved goddess honoured alongside the Sun God and prayed to for the well-being of the family, is an important part of Chhath Puja and reflects the festival’s concern with the protection, health and prosperity of the family and community.
A Festival of Four Days
Chhath Puja is observed over four days, each with its own rituals and significance, together making up the demanding and beautiful festival. The days progress through preparation and purification, a day of fasting and a special offering, the great evening offering to the setting sun, and finally the morning offering to the rising sun, which brings the festival to its close. Each day has its own strict observances. This observance of Chhath Puja over four days, each with its own rituals and significance, gives the festival its structure and its demanding character, from the preparation and fasting to the great offerings to the setting and rising sun that are the heart of the celebration.
Rigorous Fasting
One of the most striking features of Chhath Puja is the rigorous fasting undertaken by the devotees, which is among the most demanding of any Indian festival. The main devotees, often women, observe a strict fast, including at its height a fast without even water for a considerable period, enduring this austerity with faith and devotion as an offering to the Sun God and for the well-being of their families. This rigorous fasting requires great discipline and devotion. This rigorous fasting, including a period without even water, undertaken with faith and endurance by the devotees, is one of the most striking and demanding features of Chhath Puja and a powerful expression of the depth of devotion and discipline that characterise the festival.
Purity and Austerity
Chhath Puja is marked by a strong emphasis on purity, cleanliness and austerity, and the observance of the festival is conducted with great care and discipline. Devotees maintain strict standards of cleanliness and purity throughout the festival, in their persons, their food and their surroundings, and they observe the rituals with austerity and devotion. This emphasis on purity and discipline is central to the character of the festival. This strong emphasis on purity, cleanliness and austerity, and the care and discipline with which the festival is observed, is a defining feature of Chhath Puja and reflects the deep devotion and the demanding, disciplined character of the festival and its worship of the sun.
Offering Arghya to the Sun
The central and most moving ritual of Chhath Puja is the offering of arghya, or offerings and prayers, to the sun, performed while standing in water, to both the setting and the rising sun. Devotees gather at rivers, ponds and other bodies of water and, standing in the water, offer their prayers and offerings to the sun, first to the setting sun on one evening and then to the rising sun the next morning, in a beautiful and devout act of worship. This offering of arghya to the sun is the heart of the festival. This central ritual of offering arghya to the setting and rising sun, performed by devotees standing in water, is the most moving and beautiful custom of Chhath Puja and the heart of its worship, expressing deep devotion and thanksgiving to the sun.
The Evening Offering
A great moment of Chhath Puja is the offering to the setting sun, made on the evening of the third day, when devotees gather at the water to offer their prayers as the sun goes down. Standing in the water, the devotees offer arghya to the setting sun, giving thanks and praying, in a beautiful and devout ceremony that is one of the highlights of the festival, as the community gathers by the water in the light of the setting sun. This evening offering is a moving and important part of the festival. This offering to the setting sun on the evening of the third day, when devotees gather by the water to offer their prayers as the sun sets, is one of the most beautiful and important moments of Chhath Puja and a moving expression of devotion to the sun.
The Morning Offering
The festival culminates in the offering to the rising sun on the morning of the fourth day, when devotees again gather at the water to offer their prayers as the sun rises, bringing the festival to its close. Standing in the water in the early morning, the devotees offer arghya to the rising sun, giving thanks and praying, and it is after this final offering that the long fast is broken and the festival concludes. This morning offering to the rising sun is the culmination of the festival. This offering to the rising sun on the final morning, when devotees gather to offer their prayers as the sun rises and the long fast is at last broken, is the culmination of Chhath Puja and a joyous and devout conclusion to the demanding and beautiful festival.
Gathering at the Water
A beautiful feature of Chhath Puja is the gathering of devotees and communities at rivers, ponds and other bodies of water for the offerings to the sun, which creates a moving spectacle of shared devotion. Great numbers of people gather at the water for the ceremonies, dressed in their festival attire and carrying their offerings, and the banks of the rivers and ponds fill with devotees, creating a beautiful scene of communal worship in the light of the setting and rising sun. This gathering at the water is a memorable part of the festival. This gathering of devotees and communities at the water for the offerings to the sun, creating a moving spectacle of shared devotion by the rivers and ponds, is a beautiful and memorable feature of Chhath Puja and a powerful expression of its communal and devout spirit.
The Prasad and Offerings
Chhath Puja involves the preparation of special offerings and prasad, made with great care and purity, which are offered to the sun and then shared as blessed food. The offerings include special foods and fruits prepared according to tradition and with strict cleanliness, and a particular traditional sweet made for the festival, all offered to the sun with devotion and then distributed and enjoyed as prasad. The preparation of these offerings with purity is an important part of the festival. This preparation of special offerings and prasad, made with great care and purity and offered to the sun before being shared as blessed food, is an important part of Chhath Puja and reflects the emphasis on purity and devotion that characterises the festival and its worship.
A Festival of Faith and Endurance
Chhath Puja is above all a festival of faith and endurance, in which the devotees undertake demanding austerities and rigorous fasting as an expression of their deep devotion and their prayers for their families. The endurance of the strict fast, including the period without water, and the observance of the demanding rituals with faith and discipline, make the festival a powerful testament to the devotion of those who observe it. This combination of faith and endurance is at the heart of the festival. This character of Chhath Puja as a festival of faith and endurance, in which devotees undertake demanding austerities as an expression of their devotion, is one of its most striking aspects and a powerful testament to the depth of faith and the strength of devotion of those who observe it.
A Festival of the Family
Chhath Puja is deeply concerned with the well-being of the family, and much of the devotion and prayer of the festival is directed towards the health, happiness and prosperity of the family and especially the children. The devotees, often mothers, undertake the demanding fast and rituals as prayers for the well-being of their families, and the whole family takes part in the preparations and celebrations, making it a festival of family devotion and togetherness. This concern for the family is central to the festival. This character of Chhath Puja as a festival of the family, in which the devotion is directed towards the well-being of the family and the whole family takes part, is an important aspect of the festival and reflects its deep concern with the health, happiness and prosperity of the family and community.
Chhath Puja Today
Today Chhath Puja remains one of the most deeply revered and devoutly observed festivals of India, celebrated with extraordinary faith and discipline in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and beyond, and among the people of these regions around the world. The rigorous fasting, the emphasis on purity, the moving offerings to the setting and rising sun, and the gathering of communities at the water all continue to be observed with deep devotion, and the festival has spread with its people to cities and countries far from its heartland. In its ancient worship of the sun, its rigorous devotion and its beautiful rituals, Chhath Puja endures as one of the most devout and moving of India’s festivals.
Sources & Further Reading
- Ministry of Culture, Government of India, on the festivals of India (indiaculture.gov.in).
- Cultural records on the festivals of Bihar and eastern India.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chhath Puja?
Chhath Puja is an ancient and deeply revered festival dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, celebrated especially in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. It is marked by rigorous fasting, purity and the offering of prayers to the setting and rising sun.
Who is worshipped during Chhath Puja?
Chhath Puja is dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, honoured as the giver of life, along with a beloved goddess known as Chhathi Maiya, who is prayed to for the well-being, health and prosperity of the family, especially children.
What is the central ritual of Chhath Puja?
The central ritual of Chhath Puja is the offering of arghya, or prayers and offerings, to the sun, performed by devotees standing in water, first to the setting sun on the evening of the third day and then to the rising sun on the morning of the fourth day.
Why is the fasting in Chhath Puja so demanding?
The fasting in Chhath Puja is among the most demanding of any Indian festival, including at its height a strict fast without even water for a considerable period, undertaken with faith and endurance as an offering to the Sun God and for the well-being of the family.
How long is Chhath Puja celebrated?
Chhath Puja is observed over four days, each with its own rituals and significance, progressing through preparation and purification, a day of fasting and offering, the great evening offering to the setting sun, and the final morning offering to the rising sun.
