(16,17,18 & 19th November 2015)
The Sun is true fact of our life on the earth.The Sun is the centre of reverence, because without Sun not possible to alive the life of living being.The sun is indispensable for our existence,whether for our life,temperature,energy or food. The existence of the Sun is most essential for the life of human being or any living being and any civilization of human being. Therefore, the Sun worship is the culture for the worshipers of Nature.
Vikram Samvat is the Bharatiya lunar calendar. There are two-half a lunar month. It is called shukl paksh (bright-half of lunar month) and krishn paksh (dark-half of lunar month). The Kartik month of Vikram Samvat is the month of many festivals. Deepawali festival celebrates pratham shukl of Kartik month. After six days of Deepawali one sacred Chhath festival start. The festival of honoring and offering praises to the Sun God. This festival is called Chhath festival. Chhath means the process of obtaining solar energy from the Sun through six stages. It is believe that worshipers of those times used to abstain from food and absorb energy solely and directly from the rays of the Sun,requiring the worshipers to fast without water for around 36 hours continuously. During this period, the worshiper observes purity, and sleeps on the floor on a single blanket. This is the only holy festival which has no involvement of any priest. The devotees offer their prayers to the setting sun, and then the rising sun in celebrating its glory as the cycle of birth starts with death. It is seen as the most glorious form of Sun worship.The Chhath festival observes especially in north-Bharat, but today’s in whole parts of country, in Nagaland also. It is the four day ritual honoring the Sun for granting bountifully, all the measns of well being as well as fulfillment of certain wishes through prayers, praises and abstinence from worldly pleasures. Popular belief also has it that worshipping the Sun also cures deseases like leprosy and ensures longevity and prosperity of the family, societies and whole world. The Chhath festival is with strict discipline,purity and highest esteem that the ritual is perform. Once a family starts performing the Chhath festival, it becomes their duty to pass on the tradition to the following generations. It’s how the ancient ritual has arrived where it stands today in the highest regard among the devotees. Considered as the most grandeur form of Sun worship, millions across the country in the fasting and worshipping. Prayers and Prasad (food offering), including sweets and fruits, are offered by the devotees to the Sun. The ritual is generally perform on the banks of rivers, A huge gathering of devotees, which goes on for miles, can be seen the banks of river Dhansiri of Ngaland.
The very first day of chhath starts exactly 6 days from deepawali. This day the people who observe fast take bath at a river or pond and prepare lunch (consisting of rice, dal mixed with pumpkin and pumpkin made in pure ghee). The second day is known as kharna or kheer- roti. In which the kheer (A Bharatiya recipe where rice is prepared with sweetened milk instead of water) and chapati (called roti in many Bharatiya provinces). The people observe fast for the full day without taking even water and eat this kheer-roti as dinner after offering it to the rising moon and Goddess River. This is the only time when they eat or drink anything from the starting of the day till the last day of chhath. The 3rd day of chhath is observed by offering the Sun praise and fruits to the setting sun followed by the next day event of offering the Sun praise and fruits to the rising sun on the 4th or last day of chhath.
On the first day of Chhath Puja, the devotees take a dip, preferably in the river, and carry home the holy water of these historical rivers to prepare the offerings. The house and surroundings are scrupulously cleaned. The ladies observing the fasting allow themselves only one meal on this day.
Lohanda and Kharna
On the second day of Chhath Puja, the day before Chhath, the worshippers observe a fast for the whole day, which ends in the evening a little after sunset. Just after the worship of Sun and moon, the offerings of Kheer (rice delicacy), puris (deep-fried puffs of wheat flour) and bananas, are distributed among family, friends and people of societies. The worshippers go on a fast without water for 36 hours after 2nd day evening prashad.
Sandhya Arghya (evening offerings)
This day is spent preparing the offerings at home. On the eve of this day, the entire household accompanies the worshippers to a river bank, pond or a common large water body to make the offerings to the setting Sun. It is during this phase of Chhath festival that the devotees offer prayers to the just setting Sun. The occasion is almost a carnival. Besides the worshipers, there are friends and family, and numerous participants and onlookers, all willing to help and receive the blessings of the worshiper. The folk songs sung on the evening of Chhath.
Usha Arghya (morning offerings)
On the final day of Chhath festival, the devotees, along with family and friends, go to the river bank before sunrise, in order to make the offerings to the rising Sun. The festival ends with the breaking of the fast by the worshiper. Friends, Relatives visit the houses of the devotees to receive the prashad.
Although the festival is observed most elaborately in Mithila Region of Nepal, Terai-Madhesh of Nepal, Bharatiya states of Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern UP, it is also more prevalent in areas where migrants from those areas have a presence. It is celebrated in all Northern regions and major Northern urban centers in Bharat bordering Nepal. The festival is celebrated in the regions including northeast region of Bharat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkota, Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica.
Thousand-thousand devotees of Chhathi Maiya have been celebrating in many places of Nagaland state peacefully. The administration help and motivate the devotees. In last year on the day of evening offering at Dimapur, I was going to bank of Dhansiri river to look the festival. when I reached down of overfly bridge near Jalmahal Hotel, the trafic was blocked surrounding by one female trafic police and some police were helping to cross the road of one male devotee, who offered his praise again-and-again to sleep on road distance from 4-5 fts. People were looking with respect, no any disturbance noise was coming from people. It was the great example to respect behavior nature of Nagaland people. I had deadly faith, love and affection for Naga people. That day I looked the practical nature of Naga people. I offered salute to trafic police sister and others by mind and heart.
Science behind the Chhath Festival
1. The Sun festival in Kartik month is related to absorption of vitamin D.
2. Vitamin comes from UVB rays.
3. These rays are predominant at sun set and sun rise.
4. Vitamin D deficiency today is running like an epidemic in the society.
5. Vitamin D is sued for absorbing calcium from the food.
6. All the food items used in this festival are high in calcium.
7. Kartik is also high fertility months. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to infertility.
8. In fasting state natural calcium is better absorbed.
9. Patients with compromised kidneys should not do this fast.
10. Fast is never broken with feast. This fast is usually broken with ginger and jiggery.
Pankaj Sinha, Dimapur
sinhapankaj321@gmail.com
