What is Chhath Puja?

About Chhath Puja

• It is an important Hindu festival celebrated in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
• This festival is dedicated to God Surya and his sister Shashti Devi, often referred to as Chhathi Maiya, and it involves religious rituals.
• The most unique feature of this Chhath Puja is that there is no Murti Pujan or Idol Worshipping, unlike most of the festivals of the Hindu religion.
• The festival is celebrated between the months of October and November.
• The Chhath festival begins as the Diwali festival ends.
• It is celebrated for four consecutive days and celebrated with great reverence and dedication.
  • The first day of the Chhath Puja includes taking a dip in the holy river/any water body. People also take the Ganges water to their homes to perform special offerings and rituals. Houses are thoroughly cleaned on this day. 
  • The second day of Chhath, also known as Kharna, involves devotees observing a day-long fast, which is broken in the late evening after performing the worship of Mother Earth. The offerings to God include rice pudding (kheer) and fruits, which is distributed among family members and friends.
  • The third day of Chhath goes into the preparation of the prasad (offerings) for the evening offerings, also known as Sanjhiya Arghya. In the evening, large numbers of devotees gather on the banks of rivers and make offerings (Arghya) to the setting sun. The night of the third day witnesses a colorful event known as Kosi. A canopy is made from sugarcane sticks, and lighted earthen lamps are placed inside the canopy along with baskets filled with prasad.
  • On the fourth and final day of Chhath, family members and friends go to the banks of rivers before sunrise and make offerings (Arghya) to the rising sun. After this ritual, devotees break their fast and distribute Prasad to neighbors and relatives.

Q1) Which are the major tributaries of Ganga River?

Ganga has tributaries on both banks. its right bank tributaries are the Yamuna and Son. While Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi are some left bank tributaries. It is the largest river system in India.