New Delhi: The sacred four-day festival of Chhath Mahaparv commenced across the country and the world today with the ritual of Nahay-Khay, marking the beginning of one of India’s most ecologically and culturally profound observances.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi extended heartfelt wishes on the occasion, paying tribute to the unwavering devotion of the vratis (fast-observers) and underscoring the festival’s deep-rooted cultural significance across India. The Prime Minister, who also shared a devotional song dedicated to Chhathi Maiya, highlighted the growing global recognition of the festival, noting the heartfelt devotion with which Indian families participate in its rituals worldwide.
While traditionally prominent in Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, Chhath Mahaparv has become a major cultural event celebrated with fervor in communities across the nation, including the urban centers of Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata, among others. Its rising significance can be attributed to several core cultural and spiritual values:
Chhath is dedicated to Lord Surya (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya (Shashthi Mata), his sister. It is one of the few Hindu festivals where the setting sun (Sandhya Arghya) is worshipped first, followed by the rising sun (Usha Arghya). This practice symbolizes gratitude for the bounties of life and the life-giving energy of the sun, reinforcing a deep connection between humanity and nature.
The festival is renowned for its arduous and disciplined rituals. Devotees, often women, undertake a rigorous 36-hour fast without food or water (Nirjala Vrat), seeking the health, prosperity, and longevity of their family members. The strict adherence to purity (sattvik living) throughout the four days is considered unparalleled, with food prepared using only clean and natural ingredients.
Chhath Puja transcends caste, creed, and economic barriers, fostering a powerful sense of social unity. Families and neighbors come together to meticulously clean riverbanks and water bodies, prepare the traditional prasad like thekua, and perform the Arghya rituals collectively, reinforcing familial and community bonds. The Prime Minister specifically noted that the scenes at the Chhath ghats offer an “amazing inspiration of familial and social harmony.”
The festival champions an eco-friendly approach, utilizing natural, often locally-sourced materials for offerings—such as fruits, sugarcane, and earthen lamps (diyas)—and strictly avoiding the use of artificial materials or idol immersion that could pollute the environment. This has led many to regard Chhath as an embodiment of environmental consciousness in Indian tradition.
The commencement of the festival with Nahay-Khay (bathing and eating a pure, traditional meal) sets the stage for the subsequent days of intense devotion, community celebration, and reverence for the elements that sustain life on Earth.