Main day of Chhath festival: Worship of the setting sun and offering of Argha

Today marks the main day of the Chhath festival, with devotees performing rituals and offering argha to the setting sun this evening. The festival, which spans from Kartik Shukla Chaturthi to Saptami, commenced on Tuesday and is dedicated to worshiping the Sun God.

According to the ancient Mahabharata, the tradition began when the Pandavas, along with Draupadi, sought the blessings of the Sun God during their period of hiding in King Virat’s palace. As mentioned in Surya Purana, it was Atrimuni’s wife, Anusuya, who first observed the Chhath fast, leading to enduring good fortune and love for her husband. The festival venerates the Sun’s vital role in all life, as its rays are essential for the existence and growth of plants, animals, and humans alike. Throughout history, sunlight has also been recognized for its healing properties, with documented therapies using sunlight to treat diseases.

In the Samva Purana, it is said that Samva, who suffered from leprosy due to the curse of Lord Krishna and Maharishi Durvasa, was cured after performing sun worship. Fasting during Chhath is believed to free individuals from suffering and poverty, and offerings to the Sun God are thought to bring blessings and health to one's family. Those unable to fast entrust their wishes to other fasters, and even those with limited means celebrate Chhath.

Fasting Rituals

The fasting begins on Kartik Shukla Chaturthi, with devotees bathing and consuming a single meal. On Kartik Shukla Panchami, they prepare and offer kheer (kharna) to Shashti Mata, then eat it as prasad, and observe a salt-free diet. Anil Singh from the Guhyeshwari Gaurighat Chhath Puja Samiti shared that on the main day of Kartik Shukla Shasthi, devotees observe a strict fast, worshiping the setting sun in the evening, then stay awake through the night to greet the rising sun on Kartik Shukla Saptami, concluding the festival.

It is believed that worshiping the Sun and giving argha on Kartik Shukla Saptami protects against skin diseases. Formerly celebrated mainly in the Terai region, Chhath has now become a national festival, with public holidays observed across Nepal since 2046 BS. Riverbanks in Kathmandu, including Guhyeshwari, Gaurighat, Kamalpokhari, and areas along the Bagmati, Nakhkhu, and Bishnumati Rivers, have been decorated for the festival.

Devotees, known as Bertalu, observe strict cleanliness and dietary practices from Kartik Shukla Chaturthi onward. Many also begin abstaining from tamasic foods like garlic and onions from Kartik Krishna Pratipada, embodying the deeply sacred nature of the Chhath festival.