Chhath Festival in Nepal: Devotees Honor the Sun at Narayani River
In Chitwan, Nepal, the third day of the Chhath festival was celebrated with devotion as people gathered at the Narayani River to honor the sun. This festival, dedicated to Lord Surya, involves making offerings to both the setting and rising sun. Devotees, like Meena Devi Sah, undergo strict fasting, believing it will fulfill their wishes, such as having a child. The festival begins on Karthik Shukla Chathurthi and ends on Shukla Saptami, according to the lunar calendar.
During Chhath, devotees prepare baskets called “Dhakri,” filled with Thekuwa, Khajuri, Kasar, dry fruits, fruits, and flowers. The festival is celebrated for the well-being and long lives of family members. Sunita Sah, another devotee, explained the significance of the three-day festival. The first day, ‘Naha Khaya,’ involves eating sacred foods after bathing. The second day, ‘Kharana,’ forbids water, and porridge is prepared as an offering. On the third day, devotees continue fasting and make offerings to the goddess.
Chhath is especially significant in the Southern Plains of Nepal, including Mithilanchal, the ancestral home of Goddess Sita. The festival gained popularity in Nepal’s hilly regions after the political changes of 1990. Devotees offer “Arghya” to the setting sun and will do so again to the rising sun, concluding the festival with prayers for prosperity and well-being.
Doubts Revealed
Chhath Festival -: Chhath is a Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God, celebrated mainly in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, and also in Nepal. It involves rituals like fasting, bathing in rivers, and offering prayers to the sun.
Narayani River -: The Narayani River is a major river in Nepal, known for its religious significance. During the Chhath festival, people gather at its banks to perform rituals and offer prayers to the sun.
Devotees -: Devotees are people who are very dedicated to their religious beliefs and practices. During the Chhath festival, devotees show their dedication by fasting and performing rituals to honor the sun.
Fasting -: Fasting means not eating food for a certain period of time. During the Chhath festival, devotees fast to show their devotion and to pray for their wishes to be fulfilled.
Southern Plains of Nepal -: The Southern Plains of Nepal, also known as the Terai region, is a flat and fertile area where many people celebrate the Chhath festival. It is culturally similar to the northern parts of India.
Hilly regions -: Hilly regions refer to areas with lots of hills and mountains. In Nepal, these regions started celebrating the Chhath festival more widely after 1990, even though it was traditionally more popular in the plains.
