Significance of Chhath Puja

The celebration of Chhath puja may predate to ancient Vedas, as the rituals performed during the puja are similar to the ones mentioned in Rig Veda, in which the Sun god is worshipped.

Chhath Puja is an important Hindu festival that is mainly celebrated in Bihar and some regions of Nepal. The puja is dedicated to the worship of the Sun god and his wife Usha. During the occasion, devotees perform puja to thank god for supporting life on earth and seek the divine couple’s blessing. However, Chhath – the main day – isn’t the first day but the third day of the puja .

According to Hindu religion, the Sun is believed to heal many severe health conditions and ensure longevity, prosperity, progress and well-being. People celebrate the festival by following a rigorous routine that lasts four days. The rituals include: fasting (including abstinence from drinking water), holy bathing, offering prayers to the rising and setting sun, and meditating by standing in water.

In addition to Bihar, many other states such as Jharkhand, eastern UP, regions of Nepal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh also celebrate the festival with great fervour. Chhath Puja is so called as it is celebrated on the sixth day of the month of Karthika in the Vikram Samvat. It is also celebrated in the summers, some days after Holi. However, Karthika month’s Chhath is more ardently followed by people.

History of Chhath Puja

It is believed that the celebration of Chhath puja may predate to the ancient Vedas, as the rituals performed during the puja are similar to the ones mentioned in Rig Veda, in which the Sun god is worshipped. At the time, the rishis (sages) were also known to worship the Sun and remain without intake of good as they would obtain their energy directly from the sun. However, another significance of the puja is attached to the story of Lord Rama.

According to ancient texts, Rama and his wife Sita had kept fast and offered prayers to the Sun god, in the month of Kartika in Shukla Paksh, once they returned to the Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. From then on, the Chhath Puja became a significant and traditional Hindu festival, which is celebrated with zeal and zest every year.

Chhath Puja Celebrations

The four-day festival starts four days after Diwali. This is how the devotees observe the festival.

Nahay Khay: The first day of Chhath Puja, devotees take a dip, preferably in the Kosi river, Karnali and Ganga, and carry home the holy water to prepare the offerings.

Lohanda: The second day, the devotees observe a fast for the whole day, which ends in the evening a little after sunset. After worshipping the Sun and the Moon, they prepare offerings of kheer, bananas and rice for their family. After consuming the offering, they fast for 36 hours without water.

Sandhya Arghya (evening offerings): After preparing the prasad, the devotees take a dip in the holy water body in the evening and worship the Sun god and Chhathi maiyya. They offer the evening offerings amid folk songs.

Usha Arghya: The fourth day, devotees go to the holy waters and offer morning offerings or ‘Usha arghya’ to the sun, following which they break their fast.

Devotees during this period observe purity and live frugally. They sleep on the floor on a single blanket. The main festival is commemorated on the third day of Chhath, when the Sun god is offered Surya Namaskar and fruits.

The Yogic Philosophy of Chhath

as per yogic philosophy, the physical or exterior forms of all living beings are highly advanced energy channels. The solar bio-electricity starts moving into the human body when it is exposed to solar radiations of a particular wavelength. Under specific physical and mental conditions, the absorption as well as the conduction of this solar-bio-electricity goes higher.

The rituals of Chhath Puja aim at making up the body & the mind of the devotee (Vratti) for cosmic solar-energy infusion.

During ancient times, the Rishis were using the same kind of process as we use during Chhath Puja without taking any kind of solid or liquid diet. With the help of the same kind of process, they were able to absorb the energy required for life directly from the sun instead of food and water.

The retina is a type of photoelectric substance that emits slight energy when kept in the light. Therefore, very fine energy starts moving from the retina. This photo-bio-electricity is transferred from the retina to the pineal gland by the optic nerves linking the retina to the pineal glands that activates it.

The pineal gland with the hypothalamus and pituitary glands- together called Triveni is near these as a result of which, the energy produced in the process starts affecting these glands too. As a result, the pranic activity becomes regular, giving the devotee (Vratti) a peaceful mind a healthy body.

Stages of Chhath (Conscious Photoenergization Process)

as per Yoga Philosophy, Chatth Puja process is divided into six steps or stages of the Conscious Cosmic Solar Energy Infusion Technique-

1st Stage: Fasting as well as a discipline to keep clean leads to complete the detoxification of the mind, body and soul. This stage makes the mind and the body of the Vratti obtain the cosmic solar energy.

2nd Stage: It includes standing in a river or a water body with half the body submerged in the water. It minimizes the leak of energy & helps the psychic energy (Prana) to flow up the psychic channel in the spine (Sushumna).

3rd Stage: The cosmic solar energy goes into the Vratti’s pituitary, pineal and hypothalamus glands through optic nerves and retina.

4th Stage: In this stage the activation process of Triveni or tri-glandular complex takes place.

5th Stage: A type of division takes place in the spine that transforms the body of the Vratti into a cosmic powerhouse. This also awakens the latent psychic energy often called Kundalini Shakti.

6th Stage: In this stage, the body of devote becomes a channel that recycles, conducts and transmits the energy in the whole universe.

Benefits Of Chhath Puja Process

The process of Chatth Puja focuses on the mental discipline of the devotee. The aim of it is to take the devotee towards mental purity. By the help of many rituals, the Chatth Vratti focuses in maintaining the utmost cleanliness in all offerings and the environment. During this festival, the one thing that remains on top is the cleanliness.

This lays a great detoxification effect on the mind and body as it results in biochemical changes. The 36 hours long fasting allows a complete detoxification of the body.

A complete detox helps in maintaining the flow of Prana and makes the devotee more energetic. The natural immune system uses much of the energy to fight the toxins present in the body. With the help of detoxification process like meditation, pranayama, yoga and chatth rituals, the amount of toxins present in the body can be reduced hugely. Hence, with toxic reduction, the spending of energy also reduces and the devotee feels more energetic. Plus, it improves the skin texture, improves eyesight and reduces the aging process.

Photo-Electro-Chemical Effect

The safe radiation of sunlight cures fungal and bacterial infections. As a result of Chatth Puja, the energy absorbed by the blood stream improves the function of the white blood cells. Also, the solar energy balances the secretion of hormones. Energy requirements of the body are fulfilled by the solar energy directly that further detoxifies the body.

Mental Benefits

Chatth Puja rituals pave the way for calmness in mind. With the regularization of Pranic flow, the negative responses like jealousy, anger and others are decreased. With patience and genuine practice, the psychic powers including healing, intuition and telepathy are awakened. This depends on the concentration level that devotees practice during the festival.

Significance of Sunrise and Sunset

Only during sunrise and sunset majority of humans can safely receive the solar energy. However, there may be some exceptions. This is why the festival Chhath Puja features a tradition of offering Arghya to the sun in late evening and early in the morning.