4-Day Long Chhath Puja Begins Today With Nahay-Khay Ritual In Dirrerent Parts Of The Country
The four-day-long Chhath Puja will begin today with the ‘Nahay-Khay’ ritual in different parts of the country. Dedicated to Surya Dev, or the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, the festival is observed with strict purity, fasting, and rituals along riverbanks and ghats.
The Nahay-Khay’ is marked by ritual bathing and preparation of food while observing strict cleanliness and purity. Traditionally, devotees prepare Kaddubhaat as prasad, marking the beginning of the four-day festival.
The second day will be observed as ‘Kharna’. Devotees will observe a day-long fast and break it in the evening after offering prayers and consuming prasad. This will be followed by the rigorous ‘nirjala’ fast.
On the third day, devotees will gather at rivers, ponds and other Chhath ghats in the evening to worship Chhathi Maiya and offer ‘arghya’ to the setting sun. The festival will conclude on Monday morning with devotees offering ‘arghya’ to the rising sun.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today extended his greetings to fellow citizens on the commencement of the four-day Chhath Mahaparv, a festival of popular faith and worship of the Sun God.
In a social media post, Mr Modi said that today marks Nahay-Khay, the first day of the festival. He extended his greetings to all devotees observing the fast and wished that everyone receives the blessings of Chhathi Maiya.
