Kathmandu, November 13
The Chhath festival begins today, on Kartik Shukla Chaturthi, following the end of the Deepawali festivities. Devotees observe the festival for four days, from Kartik Shukla Chaturthi to Saptami.
The first day starts with the ‘Nahay-Khay’ ritual, in which devotees bathe and eat a purified meal. The second day is marked by ‘Kharna’. On the third day, devotees offer arghya to the setting sun. The festival concludes on the fourth morning, after offerings are made to the rising sun.
During Chhath, people set aside old grievances and gather together to worship Surya Dev, the Sun God. At the Chhath ghats, it is customary for everyone to sit in the same row, without any caste or community divisions. Locals believe that taking part in the preparations makes people humble and helpful. The festival, which honours Surya Dev and Shashthi Devi, is also widely believed to bring prosperity and wellbeing.
The villages and markets of the Mithila region are busier than usual with the festival. Locals have begun preparing for the four-day observance.
Regarded as a festival of faith, discipline and devotion, Chhath has filled homes across Mithila with traditional songs. Devotional songs praising Surya Dev and Shashthi Devi (Chhathi Mata) have given the region a festive atmosphere.
Locals are busy building and cleaning Chhath ghats on riverbanks, ponds and other religiously significant water bodies. Young people, in particular, are taking an active part in constructing and decorating the ghats.
Houses with walls made of bamboo slats and twigs are being plastered and painted. Streets, homes and public spaces have been decorated with string lights. Rich and poor alike are preparing to observe the festival with devotion, according to their means.
