19 November 2023 Sunday Date Calendar | Chhath Puja

The Sun God, Surya, who stands for vitality and life force, is worshipped during the Chhath Puja to promote well-being, prosperity, and progress. Other names for Chhath Puja include Surya Shashti, Chhath, Chhathi, Chhath Parv, Dala Puja, and Dala Chhath.

Throughout the four-day festival, the Sun God, the origin of all talents, is revered. The followers of the Sun God observe the Vrati fast. Chhath Puja is celebrated twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter.

Karthik Chhath is observed on Kartika Shukla Shashti on the sixth day of the Karthika month. This event takes place each year in either October or November, according to the Hindu calendar. Another one is Chaiti Chhath, which is celebrated in the summer a few days following Holi.

Traditions surrounding Chhath Puja are reported to be stricter than those surrounding other Hindu holidays. They involve a severe fast without food or drink, swimming in rivers or other bodies of water, praying while standing in the water, spending a lot of time facing the sun, and offering “prasad” to the sun at sunrise and sunset. During the event, no food with salt, onions, or garlic will be prepared.

It is observed over four days. The first day is Nahay Khay, which involves taking a holy bath and fasting the entire day. Only one meal per day is permitted for women who are fasting. The food needs to be made at home. The second day is for Lohanda and Kharna; a complete fasting day is required. After dusk and with prasad, it is broken. Kheer and chapati are two common prasad. Following this, the second fast of 36 hours without water is required. The third day is Sandhya Arghya when prasad is prepared at home and delivered to the river in the evening as the sun is setting. Women participate in this event while wearing turmeric-yellow sarees.

The festival’s final day, Usha Arghya is marked by worshippers making offerings to the rising sun along the riverfront. When the worshippers break their 36-hour fast on this day, the festivity comes to an end. Each family member shares prasad. Prasad, a dish that is very significant to this holiday, is made with the following ingredients: rice, fresh fruits, dry fruits, wheat, jaggery, almonds, coconuts, and ghee. Everyone enjoys the wheat-flour cookie known as thekua.

Now that you are aware of the customs, let’s explore Chhath Puja’s past.

According to Hindu legend, Draupadi and the Pandavas once performed the Chhath Puja to retake their Kingdom and discover solutions to their problems. A separate legend claims that Karna, the son of Lord Surya and Kunti, used to perform Chhath Puja.

Additionally, it is claimed that the yogis of the Vedic era used to expose themselves to direct sunlight in order to benefit from the sun’s rays and perform the Chhath puja.

Therefore in 2023, Chhath Puja is celebrated on Sunday, 19 November, and ends on Wednesday, 22 November.