Chhath Puja is one of the most significant festivals celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh in India and the neighboring country, Nepal. The four-day festival is dedicated to the Sun God, one of the main forces that nurture life on Earth. Also, its the only Vedic Festival dedicated to Sun God.
Women observe a fast and offer their prayers to the Sun God by taking a dip in the river and offering Arghya. They pay tribute to Surya Devata and thank him for showering his gracious rays on the Earth.
Chhath Puja celebrations begin on the Chaturthi Tithi in the Hindu month of Kartika. This year, Chhath Puja festivities will start on October 31.
According to drikpanchang.com, this year, the sunrise and sunset timings for the four days are as follows:
October 31
Sunrise at 06:32 AM
Sunset at 05:37 PM
On the second day, i.e., on the Panchami Tithi, known as and Kharna, women observe Nirjala vrat (fast without drinking even a drop of water) from sunrise to sunset. They break their fast only after offering their prayers post-sunset.
November 1
The sunrise and sunset timings for the second day are as follows:
Sunrise at 06:33 AM
Sunset at 05:36 PM
The third day of the festival is the main puja day, and it is called Chhath Puja (Shashti Tithi). On this day, women do the Sandhya Arghya.
November 2
The sunrise and sunset timings for the third day are as follows:
Sunrise at 06:33 AM
Sunset at 05:36 PM
And the festivities conclude on the fourth day after women perform the Usha Arghya (meaning offering prayers to the rising sun) on Saptami Tithi.
November 3
The sunrise and sunset timings for the fourth day are as follows:
Sunrise at 06:34 AM
Sunset at 05:35 PM
The sunrise and sunset are most significant for the festival because it symbolizes the cycle of birth and death.
Chhath Puja: Lesser known interesting facts about the festival
