Beginning or Rabi cropping season in the eastern part of India brings an occasion, a festival of Chhath. After the grand festival of Diwali, people gear up for Chhath Puja. It is mainly celebrated in Eastern parts of U.P, Bihar and Jharkhand. But, people from this part have taken this beautiful festival to everywhere they have migrated. Be it Delhi or Mumbai, Chhath is now celebrated in every part of India with same devotion.

Chhath Puja has its origins in the Vedic age and it is often seen to have a connection with the famous Gayatri mantra and the yajna (sacrifice) associated with it. Gayatri mantra, which finds first mention in the Rig Veda, is dedicated to the Savita god i.e. Sun god. Sun is considered as the God of power, radiance and life. By performing this Puja people thank the Sun god for the gifts that he has bestowed upon them.

Chhath means six. Chhath is named so because it is celebrated mainly on the sixth and seventh day of the Hindu month of Kartik. But the whole of Chhath Puja lasts for four days. Like any other Indian festival, it is full of colour, spirit and life.

On the first day, devotees gather on a riverbank, the banks of the Ganges is traditionally linked to this ritual. They take a dip in the river water with the belief that this would purify their bodies and souls. They bring Ganga water to prepare the offerings. Second day starts with a day long fast gets over late in the evening with the offerings like sweetened rice, puris and fruits.

Third day is the day of fasting and devotees observe a fast of 24-hours during which even water is not consumed. In the evening, devotees collect their offerings, earthen lamps, vermilion, flowers, and coconut in a bamboo basket. With these things they head for the riverbank. They hold their baskets high to avoid the impure touch of any other human being. People reach on the riverbank just before the Sunset and pay their reverence to the setting sun.

On the final day the rituals start even before the sunrise; devotees gather once again at the riverbank. Just as the first ray of the Sun appears in the sky, devotees take a plunge in the river with their baskets of offerings.

With this, ritualistic flavour of the festival comes to an end, so does the fasting of devotees. And, this is the time for feasting for everyone. A variety of folk dishes comprising every seasonal, agricultural item and vegetables are prepared. The fast is broken with the offerings (Prasad), which is distributed among family members, relatives and friends. Singing the devotional folk songs devotees return to their homes with the renewed vigour and belief that Sun god will take care of all their worries and He will give them health, happiness and prosperity