Chhath Puja? Usually, we hear this word and assume that it is about the worship of the sun god. Is it just about this alone? Of course not! Let's find out the true meaning of Chhath Puja. Why are people celebrating this day? Who is Chhathi Maiya?...
During ancient times, the well-known King Priyavrat, son of First Manu Swayambhu, lived. Despite their efforts, they have yet to have a son. So, according to Maharishi Kashyap's order, he told him to perform yajna. Priyavrat performed a yajna for a son. After this, Queen Malini gave birth to a son, but unfortunately, the baby was born dead. The king and his family were unfortunate. Then Mata Shashthi revealed herself in front of the King. When the king prays to her, Chhathi Maiya becomes the protector of all the children of the world and gives the blessings of having a child to all childless parents. The Goddess blessed the lifeless child with life. The king and queen were very thankful for the grace of the goddess and they worshipped the goddess Shashthi Devi.
Chhathi Maiya, the sixth form of Devi Prakriti and sister of Lord Sun, is worshipped on Chhath Puja. Chhath Puja is about 4 days long; that is, Nahaay Khaay (Day 1), Rasiaav(Day 2), Sanjhka Aragh (Day 3), and Bhorka Aragh (Day 4). This festival starts after the 6th day of Diwali. So the first day of Chhath Nahhay Khaay starts with the holy bath and the family goes to the ghat to clean it properly. The Parvaitin usually cooks Sattvik Lauka Bhaat. This is served to the deity in the afternoon as Bhog. The food is then eaten to protect the mind from thoughts of vengeance. The second day of Chhath Rasiaav, which is also known as Kharna, starts with the devotee having to fast for the day without having a drop of water, and in the afternoon they end the fast by eating gur ke kheer and roti called Rasiaav. On the third day, Sanjhka Aragh started with the preparation of the puja by making the prasad and fruit basket. The puja is done at sunset. After that, Chhath songs are sung in the night and the Vrat katha is read. The last day of Bhorka Aragh starts with the puja of sunrise. The devotee breaks the fast by having water and parsad. This is the beauty of the Chhath festival, celebrated in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Chhath Puja is celebrated worldwide. The devotee prays for the child's protection, and the entire family's peace and happiness are sought from Chhatti Maiya. This is one of the most important festivals in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. People make this festival more joyful with the chhath songs. It is believed that the first chhath was performed by Goddess Sita Mata in Mungar. It is believed that she was blessed with Luv and Kush after performing the puja. People have different beliefs and stories about the Chhath, but this is the festival of love and belief.
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