Chhath Puja 2023

Chhath, the great festival of faith, is celebrated six days after Diwali. Although the festival of Chhath is celebrated with pomp all over India, but in Bihar, Jharkhand, Bengal, UP, its shade is different.

The great festival of Chhath is celebrated on the sixth day of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month, it is dedicated to Sun God and Shashthi Mata. In Chhath Puja, women and men keep a 36-hour waterless fast for the health, success, and longevity of their children. Let us know when is the great festival of Chhath in the year 2023, the date of Nahay Khay and Kharna, and when will Arghya be given to the rising and setting sun.

In the new year, the festival of Chhath will be celebrated from 17 November 2023 to 20 November 2023. The festival of Chhath lasts for four days. It starts with Nahay Khay, then Kharna on the second day, Arghya to the setting sun on the third day, and water is offered to the rising sun on the fourth day. Chhath Puja is on 19 November 2023.

Chhath Puja significance

In Chhath Puja, there is a law to worship Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya. It is a belief that one who observes a waterless fast for 36 hours in this great festival and worships them according to the rules and regulations gets happiness of children, better health of the child, brightness like the sun, and strength. With the grace of Shashthi Devi, every crisis that comes to the children is destroyed.

It is said that this festival was first started by Suryaputra Karna by worshiping the Sun. According to his beliefs, he used to worship Lord Surya by staying in the water for hours. As a result of which he got the opportunity to become a great warrior by the grace of the Sun.

When is the festival of Chhath Puja celebrated?

The glory of the Chhath festival is immense, according to the scriptures, Chhath Puja starts from Kartik Shukla Chaturthi till Kartik Shukla Saptami. This time it will start on November 8 with Nahay Khay and end with Suryodaya Arghya.

It is also called the festival of sun worship. All men and women celebrate this festival of happiness, prosperity, and fulfillment of wishes equally. According to the Panchang, Chhath Puja is celebrated on the sixth day of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. This time Chhath Chhath Puja or Sandhya Arghya is on 20 November.

Rituals and traditions of Chhath Puja

Seeped in traditional Vedic beliefs, the Chhath puja remains unmatched in epic-level rituals and celebrations. Chhath puja is overwhelmingly celebrated in Bihar and is now equally popular in Delhi, boasting a massive Bihari migrant population. The rituals mainly comprise fasting and chanting prayers on the banks of the Ganges, Yamuna, or any clean river.

The first day is marked by bathing in the holy Ganga or Yamuna at sunrise to cleanse the body for preparing 'Prasad' or offering. The next day is the day for observing a strict fast till sunset. This day is termed 'kharna' and devotees prepare 'kheer' a sweet delicacy. After breaking the fast at night with the 'prasad', the devotee resumes the fast that lasts for 36 hours i.e., till the third day evening.

The third day evening is marked by a ritualistic puja wherein devotees offer flowers and small earthen 'diyas' on river banks. The devotees break their fast following this ritual. Partaking in the sea of humanity thronging the banks of rivers watching this ritual and singing chhath songs is an experience in itself.

As tradition goes, after offering the 'arghya' at sunset, devotees and their relatives sing 'geet' and hymns dedicated to Lord Surya. Devotees pay obeisance to the Sun God by offering rice, sugarcane, home-prepared 'thekua' or wheat cakes, and various fruits in bamboo baskets or 'soop'.

The 'arghya' on the fourth day along the river banks is the final one and a ceremonious affair. On this very auspicious occasion, family and friends visit the devotees' houses for 'prasad' and blessings.

Celebrations and festivities during the Chhath festival

Devotional songs are a significant part of the celebrations associated with Chhath puja. 'Chhath geet' can be heard everywhere and adds to the festival mood. People dress up in traditional clothes and throng the banks before sunrise, to witness the 'arghya'. Cities like Patna and Gaya are very well lit-up.

The sanctity of the festival is unquestionable, as everyone sticks to the values of maintaining cleanliness and purity of mind. The devotees undergoing the rigors of fasting and renunciation are regarded highly and asked for blessings.

Date and event of Chhat Pooja, 2023

Date	Day	Event	Tithi
November 17, 2023	Friday	Nahai Khai	Tritiya
November 18, 2023	Saturday	Lohanda and Kharna	Chaturthi
November 19, 2023	Sunday	Chhath Puja, Sandhya Argh	Shashthi
November 20, 2023	Monday	Suryodaya Argh	Saptami