The fervor of the Chhath festival sweeps through Mithila as devotees gear up for the grand four-day celebration venerating the ‘Sun God.’ Commencing today with ‘Nahay Khay,’ devotees adhere to rituals marking the occasion.
On this auspicious day, followers embrace the ‘Araba Arabain’ tradition by abstaining from impure foods like boiled rice, millet, lentils, and meat on the third day of Kartik Shukla. Songs resonate in honor of the Sun God and Chhathi Devi in Mithila.
As Chhath unfolds, Mithila’s revered ponds and riverbanks adorn themselves like brides. While the festival welcomes all devotees, women predominantly fast and pay homage to the Sun God.
Today signifies the commencement of Chhath celebrations, marked by purifying dips and consumption of only sanctified foods, signifying ‘Nahay Khay.’ This festivity amplifies the hustle and bustle in marketplaces and public spheres across Mithila.
Devotees diligently gather materials for the festival, unifying Chhath as a cultural emblem of Tarai/Madhes. Dedicated to the Sun God, this festival spans four days, promoting wellness, prosperity, and progress.
From Kartik Shukla Chaturthi to Kartik Shukla Saptami in the lunar calendar, devotees revere the Sun’s energy, culminating this year with the rising sun on Monday.
Chhath rituals encompass holy baths, fasting, Sun worship, and offerings to the ‘Rising and Setting Sun.’ It involves a period of abstinence and segregation, observing purity and minimalistic living for four days.
As devotees offer prayers to the setting and rising sun, the festival encapsulates the cycle of life, commencing with death, symbolizing the most glorious form of Sun worship.
