Chhath Puja 2022: The four-day festival of Chhath Puja has started from Friday, 28 October and people across the country are celebrating this auspicious occasion with great enthusiasm. Also known as Shashthi, Chhath, Chhath and Chhath Parv, Chhath Puja begins with Nahay Kha and ends with Usha Arghya. Saturday is the second day which is known as Kharna. On this day, devotees observe a fast for a period of about 8 to 12 hours and prepare dishes like jaggery kheer, kaddu-bhaat and thekua-gujiya. These delicacies are eaten with family members after the completion of the fast.
Apart from this people also wear new clothes and celebrate this auspicious occasion with their friends and family. If you are going to celebrate Lohanda and perform Kharna Puja today, then here are all the details including Puja Vidhi, Muhurta and Significance.
Lohanda and Kharna Puja: Timing and Muhurta
Kharna will be performed and in the evening the first Arghya will be offered to the setting sun. According to the Drik Panchang, Chaturthi will run from 08:13 am, Panchami on October 30 at 05:49 am and Brahma Muhurta on October 29 from 05:02 am to 05:52 am.
Lohanda and Kharna Rituals
On the second day of Chhath Puja, people keep a fast and in the evening offer food to the Sun by offering Arghya. After performing Surya Puja, devotees consume prasad which includes Rasiya-Kheer, Puri and fruits. Women observing the fast first offer prasad to Chhath Maiya and later consume holy food. The water of the holy river is taken home and used in cooking for the sun which continues for the next 36 hours. On this day devotees eat rice, chana dal and pumpkin curry without onion and garlic. Read also: Lunar Eclipse 2022: date, time of last lunar eclipse of this year; Do’s and Don’ts for Watching ‘Blood Moon’
After having a meal sometime in the middle of the afternoon, Parvati (devotee) starts the Nirjala fast which is broken only in the evening of the next day. During this period of three nights and four days, the worshiper observes chastity and sleeps on the floor. Since it falls in winter, the bed is made by putting a blanket over the rice straw.
Significance of Chhath Puja:
The festival of Chhath takes place on the Shashthi (sixth day) of the month of Kartik, during which Shashthi Maiya is worshipped. She is also called Chhathi Maiya in Bihar. It is believed that Chhathi Maiya is the sister of Sun God. That’s why people please the Sun by offering water to them. Not only this, these days Katyayani Devi, the sixth form of Maa Durga, is also worshipped. Couples who do not have children observe Chhath fast and others celebrate Chhath for the happiness and peace of their children.