Chhath Puja is a religious festival in India dedicated to Lord Shiva. Chhath Puja 2022 will take place on October 28, 2022. Devotees worship Lord Surya for four days during Chhath Puja.
Chhath Puja is a festival associated solely with the worship of the mighty Sun God. As the only festival to have taken place since the Vedic period, Chhath puja is indelibly associated with the worship of nature for the welfare of mankind. This festival celebrates and offers gratitude to Lord Surya, who represents the permanent source of life and sustenance on this earth.
The Chhath festival is an integral part of the culture of Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh. As the Sun God manifests his greatest power at sunrise and sunset, these two significant times coincide with the two ‘aragyas’ or offering of river water to Lord Surya during the festival. The morning glory of the rising sun and the majesty of the setting sun evoke a sense of power and awe among millions of devotees who come to pay homage to Lord Surya. Chhath puja in Bihar is also associated with wish fulfillment when a devotee selflessly performs puja rituals.
Chhath Puja 2022
Chhath Puja is a festival exclusively related to the worship of the mighty Sun God. Chhath puja, the only festival that survived the Vedic era, is inextricably linked with the worship of nature for the benefit of mankind.
This festival honors Lord Surya, who represents the unchanging source of life and sustenance on earth, and expresses gratitude to him.
Chhath Puja 2022 Muhurat & Tithi
| Date | Day | Event | Tithi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28th October 2022 | Friday | Nahay Khay | Chaturthi |
| 29th October 2022 | Saturday | Lohanda and Kharna | Panchami |
| 30th October 2022 | Sunday | Sandhya Arghya (Chhath) | Shashthi |
| 31st October 2022 | Monday | Usha Arghya, Parana Day | Saptami |
Rituals and traditions of Chhath Puja
Rooted in traditional Vedic beliefs, the Chhath puja remains unmatched in rituals and epic celebrations. Chhath puja is celebrated overwhelmingly in Bihar and is now equally popular in Delhi which has a large Bihari migrant population. The rituals mainly consist of fasting and chanting prayers on the banks of the Ganges, Yamuna or any clean river.
The first day is characterized by a bath in the holy Ganga or Yamuna at dawn, in order to cleanse the body to prepare the ‘Prasad’ or offering. The next day is the day when a strict fast is observed until sunset. This day is called ‘kharna’ and devotees prepare ‘kheer’, a sweet treat. After breaking the night fast with ‘prasad’, the devotee resumes the fast which lasts for 36 hours, i.e. until the evening of the third day.
The night of the third day is marked by a ritual puja during which devotees offer flowers and small earthen “diyas” on the banks of the river. Devotees break their fast by following this ritual. Participating in the sea of humanity that invades the banks by observing this ritual and singing chhath songs is an experience in itself.
Nahay Khay 28th October 2022
Chhath Puja 2022 will start on October 28th. You will take a bath on the first day, which is Nahay Khay. Women clean the house after bathing on bath day as this fast requires special attention to cleanliness.
Each household prepares gram dal, pumpkin vegetables and rice as prasad on bath day. In these foods, only rock salt is used.
Kharna 29th October 2022
The second day of the festival is known as Kharna. People observe a complete fast on this day, from sunrise to sunset, without drinking water. The fast is broken shortly after sunset in the evening, and food is prepared and offered to the Sun God. After the prasad of the second day, the third day of fasting begins.
Fasting women prepare jaggery kheer as prasad on this day. It is distributed in the form of prasad after being consumed at night. The 36-hour fast then begins.
Sanjhiya Ghat 30th October 2022
A one-day fast without water is observed on the third day. The third day is the main day of Chhat Puja, also known as Sanjhiya Ghat. Making an Arghya offering to the setting sun is the essence of this day.
This is the only time of the year when people worship the setting sun and offer Arghya. The fast on the third day continues all night. The Parna starts the next morning at sunrise.
| Tithi | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kartik Shukla Shashthi date starts | 30 October 2022 | 05.49 am |
| Kartik Shukla Shashthi date ends | 31 October 2022 | 03.27 am |
| Sunset time | 30 October 2022 | 5:37 pm |
Celebrations and festivities during Chhath festival
Devotional songs are an important part of the celebrations associated with Chhath puja. “Chhath geet” can be heard everywhere and adds to the atmosphere of the festival. People dress in traditional clothes and crowd the banks before dawn to watch the ‘arghya’. Cities like Patna and Gaya are very well it. Bihar celebrates Chhath puja extravagantly, and Delhi has now followed suit.
The sanctity of the festival is indisputable, as all adhere to the values of maintaining cleanliness and purity of spirit. Devotees who undergo the rigors of fasting and renunciation are greatly appreciated and blessings are asked of them.
Six days after the “festival of lights”, Diwali, and in the month of Kartik, the festival of Chhath begins. Four days are dedicated to the festival, which includes elaborate bathing rituals, preparation of prasad, fasting and purification.
The celebrations surrounding Chhath puja include a significant amount of devotional music. “Chhath geet” can be heard everywhere, adding to the festive mood.
Before dawn, crowds of people in traditional dress flood the pews to watch the “arghya”. Cities with excellent lighting include Patna and Gaya.
As long as everyone upholds the values of maintaining cleanliness and purity of mind, the festival can be considered sacred. The devotees’ hard fasting and renunciation are greatly appreciated and blessings are asked of them.