Chhat puja - Bihar Festival

Discussion in 'Northern and Central Indian States' started by poonamsinha, May 21, 2009.

  1. poonamsinha

    poonamsinha New IL'ite

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    Chhath is a festival celebrated by the Biharis on the sixth day of the lunar month after Diwali every year usually a 4 day long celebration accompanied by rituals or “Suryashashthi'. Chhath is the only time when the setting sun as apposed to its rising is celebrated for its glory as the cycle of birth starts with death. It is a festival of truth, non-violence, forgiveness and compassion.

    The rituals usually consist of fasting, folklores, hymns, together with the somber hues on the banks of the celestial Ganga or any fresh watery body. A million lit lamps with thousands hands offering ‘Arghya’ to the sun makes it a delightful sight. The enormous faith in Chhat Puja has made it one of the most popular festivals this region.

    How do you celebrate Chhat puja? :bowdown
     
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  2. RanjaniPandey

    RanjaniPandey New IL'ite

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    Hello everyone,

    I'm glad to start my first post with Chatt puja, because it is one of the pujas we have our utmost faith 'shraddha'.
    I'd like to add a few facts on this auspicious festival as I've known from my elders.

    Chhatt is dedicated to the worship of the Sun God and therefore, is also known as Surya Shashti. Chhatt is celebrated as thanks to the Sun for providing the necessities of life on earth, and also for fulfilling particular wishes. :bowdown
    The word Chhatt denotes the number six and thus the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu month of Kartik in the Hindu lunar calendar, which falls in late October and November.

    It is commonly believed that the wishes of the devotees are always granted. Also, the devotees dread the punishment for any misdeed during Chhatt. Therefore, the cities in Bihar and Jharkhand (where it is mainly observed) remains safe and experiences peace during this time when even criminals prefer to behave.
    :hide:
    _________________________
    Ranjani

     
  3. geetanjali

    geetanjali New IL'ite

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    hi,
    it,s great to worship god sun as life without it is really impossible,but with all the puja, i can not forget the tasty dishes prepared during this time,although the elder ladies of the house observe fast,n it is quite hard for them to wake early in the morning n do all the preparation,all other members of the family r also involved in some way or other n enjoy it at the fullest.
     
  4. SoniaVerma

    SoniaVerma Senior IL'ite

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    How nice to see a post on Chatt Puja. I loved the unique taste of the Chatt puja prasad which our neighbors used to send us. It was quite a long time ago, when we were kids, but the memories are livid. Can anybody share the recipes of how to make the prasad (it was fried pancake)?

    We'd also like to know the customs related to Chatt puja.

    Happy Posting!

    Sonia
     
  5. poonamsinha

    poonamsinha New IL'ite

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    [FONT=&quot]The festival of Chhatt is marked by celebrations and rituals that last 4 days.

    Day 1:
    The devotees bathe in the holy river Ganges to wash away their sins. They also clean their homes thoroughly.

    Day 2:
    The devotees observe a fast for the whole day, which is broken in late evening, after performing the puja (worship ceremony) at home. They offer kheer (rice pudding) and fruit to God and then share it with family and friends.

    Day 3:
    The day is spent preparing the prasad (offerings) at home. In the evening the devotees go to a riverbank or pond where the prasad is offered to the setting sun. The devotees return home for another colorful celebration. Under a canopy of sugar cane sticks, they place clay elephants containing diyas (earthen lamps), and baskets filled with prasad. Agni(fire god)is worshipped.

    Day 4:
    On the final day of the festivities the devotees, family and friends go to the riverbank. Prasad is offered to the rising sun. The devotees break their fast and the prasad is shared with all the people around.

    Have you witnessed Chhatt puja?

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  6. RanjaniPandey

    RanjaniPandey New IL'ite

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    The best things I like about celebrating Chhat Puja is the festivities and rituals associated with it. It is one of the most joyous and colorful festivals in Bihar and Jharkhand. People are dressed up in their best clothes and devotional folk songs are sung both at home and on the riverbank. Millions of people gather at the banks of river Ganges in Patna to celebrate Chhatt. The streets are kept spotlessly clean by volunteers, who also decorate all the streets leading to the river.

    The prasad includes sweets and fruit kept in small baskets made of bamboo.
    The food is strictly vegetarian and it is cooked without salt, onions or garlic. Emphasis on put on maintaining the purity of the food.
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  7. JoyshreeGupta

    JoyshreeGupta Senior IL'ite

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    Greetings on Chhat to all.
    Like every year, this year too Chhat utsav is being celebrated with traditional piety and fervour all over Bihar. The Chhat utsav is a four day festival celebrated on the sixth day after Diwali. This year Chhat Puja started on 22nd Oct 2009.
    There is a tradition of offering newly harvested fruits to the goddess on the occasion of the Chhat Puja. This year we offered sugarcane, pani phal or singara, lemon, haldi, ginger, coconut, banana, oranges and apples to the diety.



     
  8. ritkum007

    ritkum007 New IL'ite

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    Most important aspect of chhath is its scientific significance which not many people are aware of. I recommend people to read The science of Chhath (PDF Book) by yogishri Oumkaar which is available on website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/chhathpuja/scienceofchhath.htm

    I am pasting few lines from the website as I have been doing with several blogs over past few months. I hope the readers will find it interesting.
    The entire process of Chhath is divided into 6 scientific stages of Conscious Cosmic Solar Energy Infusion Technique (Conscious Photoenergization Process).

    Stage 1: Fasting and the discipline of cleanliness leads to detoxification of the body and mind. This stage prepares the body and mind of the Vratti (devotee) to receive the cosmic solar energy.

    Stage 2: Standing in a water body with half the body (navel deep) in the water minimizes the leak of energy and helps the prana (psychic energy) to move up the sushumna (psychic channel in the spine).

    Stage 3: Cosmic Solar Energy enters the Vratti’s pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus glands (Triveni complex) through retina and optic nerves.

    Stage 4: Activation of Triveni (tri-glandular complex) Pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus

    Stage 5: A kind of Polarization of happens in the spine, which results in the Vratti’s gross and subtle bodies getting transformed into a cosmic powerhouse. This can also lead to the awakening of the latent psychic energy popularly known as the Kundalini Shakti.

    Stage 6: The body of Vratti (devotee) becomes a channel, which conducts, recycles and transmits the energy into the entire universe.

    The physical bodies of all the living organisms are highly sophisticated energy conducting channels.
    The solar bio-electricity starts flowing in the human body when it is exposed to solar radiations of specific wavelengths.

    Under particular physical and mental conditions, the absorption and conduction of this solar-bio-electricity increases.
    The processes and the rituals of Chhath puja aim at preparing the body and the mind of the (Vratti) devotee for the process of Cosmic Solar Energy Infusion.

    Not many people are aware that the scientific process similar to Chhath was used by the Rishis of yore for carrying their austerities without any intake of solid or liquid diet. Using the process similar to the Chhath puja, they were able to absorb the energy needed for sustenance directly from the sun, instead of taking it indirectly through food and water.

    This is a must read book for eveyone who wishes to know about Chhath puja.
     
  9. poonamsinha

    poonamsinha New IL'ite

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    Chhat puja for us is more about the sanctity and tradition associated with it, I guess most people are not aware of the scientific significance of Chhat Puja. Thanks for sharing.

    Chatth Puja is perhaps one of the unique festival where the setting sun is worshiped with reverence. Chatth festival is celebrated with full tradition twice a year once in Chaitra (according to the Hindu calendar) in March and in Kartik in November.

    People especially women maintain sanctity and purity from one month ahead for this weeklong festival. Traditional folk songs are sung in the honour of ‘Surya Dev’ and ‘Chatti Maiyya’ in every village as well as town.

    Women fast for the welfare of their family and the society. On the eve before Chhath, houses are scrupulously cleaned and so are the surroundings. The ritual bathing takes place on Chhath eve and lasts at the crack of dawn on the sixth day after the festival of Diwali.

    Is the setting sun revered in any other part of the world?
     

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