Life is like a rollercoaster,
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but it's your choice whether to scream or enjoy the ride...
When life's rollercoaster throws you off track, do you scream, or do you hold on tight?
For Ira and Rudraksh, the journey is far from...
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Chhath Mahaparva - an auspicious and deeply revered festival - lights up Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, parts of Jharkhand, and even the southern plains of Nepal every year. For the people of these regions, Chhath is not just a festival; it is an emotion, a tradition woven into their lives since the Vedic age.
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At the heart of Chhath Puja is the worship of Surya, the Sun God, considered the source of all life. Devotees also offer prayers to Chhathi Maiya, worshipped as Surya's sister. According to Vedic belief, she blesses children with long life, good health, and protection from unseen illnesses, one of the reasons why Chhath is often associated with the well-being of one's family.
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This ancient festival finds echoes even in India's great epics - the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
In the Ramayana, when Lord Rama and Mata Sita returned to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, the people celebrated their homecoming with Deepavali. Six days later, as Ramarajya - the ideal rule of Ram - began, Ram and Sita observed a fast. On this day, Sita performed Surya Shashthi, now known as Chhath Puja. It is believed that this worship blessed her with twin sons, Lav and Kush.
The Mahabharata too carries traces of Chhath. After escaping the burning Lakshagriha palace, Kunti is said to have performed the Chhath fast. Many believe she conceived Karna, the son of Surya, after her devotion to the Sun God. While Draupadi also performed Chhath for the Pandavas, seeking their victory in the Kurukshetra war. One popular tale places her puja near a natural spring in Nagdi village of Ranchi - a tradition still followed today, where worship is performed not at a riverbank but beside that very spring.
