Chath Puja

Colourful festoons, slick banners, welcoming gates at Yamuna's ghats, music, bhog and a nip in the air started Chatth puja festivities in the capital on a grand note. The elaborate month-long preparations took off with lakhs of men and women congregating at various ghats in Delhi on Tuesday evening to offer prayers. Performances by Bhojpuri artists added a special zing to the celebratory spirit. The ghats resounded with folk music, bhajans in Mathli, Magadhi and Bhojpuri. Explaining the rituals of the centuries-old festival, Rajkumar Pandit at Yamuna Bazaar ghat said," On the first day, devotees gather at a riverbank, take a dip in the river in the belief that this will purify their bodies and souls. The second day is a daylong fast which is broken late in the evening with the offerings of sweetened rice, puris and fruits.''

But Chhath in Delhi has its drawbacks. The Yamuna's dirty waters for one, about which many complained. Most confessed that they miss the Chhath puja back home. One of them said, "Things are very different in Bihar. For one, preparations are on in full swing at least a month ahead and the river is much cleaner," said Anant Pandey, a resident of Lakshmi Nagar at ITO ghat. The major ghats where Chhath puja was celebrated were Wazirabad Purbi Ghat,Rajiv Camp (Old Railway Bridge), Gita Colony (Pantun), Kisan Kunj, ITO, Bhairo Marg, Ramghat, Radhakrishna Ghat, Kudsiya Ghat, Badarpur Khadar and Bhalsawa Jhil.

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