Context:
The Patna district administration is set to deploy drones to manage the four-day-long mass gatherings for the annual Chhath festival.
Relevance:
GS I: Festivals
Dimensions of the Article:
- Chhath Festival: A Hindu Vedic Celebration
- Rituals of Chhath Festival
Chhath Festival: A Hindu Vedic Celebration
- The Chhath Festival is a prominent Hindu Vedic festival celebrated in the Indian Subcontinent, with a strong presence in regions like Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, some parts of Madhya Pradesh in India, and certain areas of Nepal.
- This festival is dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, known as Lord Surya, and Chhathi Maiya, an alternative name for Goddess Usha, who is considered the sister of Lord Surya.
- Chhath Festival is observed twice a year, during the months of Chaitra (March-April) and Kartika (October-November).
Rituals of Chhath Festival:
- Chhath Puja is celebrated over a span of four days and is renowned for its eco-friendly practices.
- The rituals associated with Chhath Puja are considered more rigorous compared to many other Hindu festivals. They involve fasting, including abstaining from water, taking ritualistic dips in rivers or water bodies, standing in water while offering prayers, facing the sun for extended periods, and presenting offerings (prasad) to the Sun during sunrise and sunset.
- All food prepared during the festival adheres to specific dietary restrictions and typically excludes salt, onions, and garlic.
- While in recent times, both men and women have been observed fasting during Chhath, the main worshippers of this festival are primarily women. Those who observe the fast during Chhath are known as parvaitin.
-Source: The Hindu
