Chhath puja starts with “Nahaye-Khaye”, see rituals, celebration and significance here
by Sudeshna Panda · KalingaTVBhubaneswar: Chhath puja starts today with “Nahaye-Khaye”, see the list of rituals, celebration and significance in details here. Chhath Puja is a vibrant festival dedicated to the Sun God and his consort, Chhathi Maiya. During Chhath puja the rituals include worship of the Sun God. Devotees offered arghya by standing at knee deep water in water bodies to Sun God in the evening yesterday and in the morning today.
Celebrated mainly in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh the festival spans four days and includes rituals of fasting, bathing in rivers, and prayers at sunrise and sunset. Devotees, particularly women, prepare special offerings, including ‘thekua’ (a traditional sweet) and fruits, gathering at riverbanks. On this festival, devotees pay homage to the Sun, seeking health and prosperity for their families.
Among the foods that were offered to God during Chhath puja were thekua, kheroni and fruits. Devotees ventured to Rivers and other water bodies to perform the rituals while security arrangements had been made by Police.
It is also observed in a few parts of Odisha. Today morning devotees offered arghya to rising sun. For this devotees in visited different water bodies. This year the ‘Nahaye Khaye’ ritual of Chhath puja was observed today, while the ‘Kharna puja’ shall be observed. Later water shall be offered to the setting sun while on the last day today, water (arghya) was offered to the rising sun.
Chhath puja is observed on the sixth day in the bright fortnight of Kartika month. This year the fest began on 28th October and continued till October 31st. The Sun God and Goddess Chhathi or Sasthi Devi is worshipped during Chhath puja. Devotees, who keep brata, observe fast for 36hours. In the month of Kartika on the fourth day Nahaye Khae, on the fifth day Kharna is observed.