Significance
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival dedicated to Surya (the Sun god) and Chhathi Maiya (the sixth divine power, Shashthi Devi), observed primarily in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Eastern Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the few Hindu festivals that is performed without a priest -- the devotee (Vratti) directly communes with the sun and the river. The Chhath is remarkable for its ecological sensibility: all offerings are natural, rivers are honored as sacred, and the ritual includes offering Arghya to both the setting and rising sun -- the only festival that worships the setting sun.
Preparation
Rituals & Vidhi
Nahay Khay (Day 1)
The Vratti takes a sacred bath (in a river if possible), cooks simple Satvik food (lauki and chana dal), and eats it as the only meal of the day.
Kharna Fast (Day 2)
Full day fast. In the evening, prepare and eat Kheer (rice cooked in milk and jaggery) with roti. This is the last meal before the 36-hour waterless fast begins.
Sandhya Arghya (Day 3)
At sunset, go to the river or a water body with the decorated bamboo baskets of offerings. Stand in the water and offer Arghya (water and offerings) to the setting sun. This is the principal ritual.
Mantra: Om Suryaya Namah, Om Adityaya Namah, Om Bhaskaraya Namah
Usha Arghya (Day 4)
Return to the water body before sunrise and offer Arghya to the rising sun. After this, the 36-hour fast is broken with prasad (Thekua and fruits) offered by the family.
Fasting
The Chhath Vratti observes a 36-hour waterless fast (Nirjala) from Kharna evening through Usha Arghya the next morning. This is one of the most austere fasts in Hinduism and requires good health. The fast is broken only after the sunrise Arghya.
Family Guidance
The entire family supports the Vratti during the four days. Children can help decorate the baskets and carry the offerings. Discuss Surya's life-giving role for all living beings. The riverside ritual is deeply moving for children.