Chhath puja: Time to offer obeisance to sun

LUCKNOW: This year, over eight lakh devotees will pay obeisance to the Sun on the occasion of Chhath Puja in Lucknow. Over the years, the puja has gained popularity in city compared to 16 years back, when hardly 150 devotees performed the rituals.
Prabhunath Rai, President of Akhil Bhartiya Bhojpuri Samaj, said, "More people have developed faith in Chhath puja and the festival has become a bigger celebration.A large population has migrated to the city from Bihar and Eastern UP where Chhath is a major festival. Another reason is that earlier necessary things needed to perform the rituals were not available in the city and devotees used to visit their native villages to observe the fast."
The festival is celebrated on the sixth day after Diwali every year, and it is usually a four-day celebration. The Chhath puja started from Wednesday with the age-old ritual of 'Nahai-Khai' in which devotees prepare traditional food after taking a bath. On Thursday, a day before the Chhath, devotees observe a day-long fast which ends after sunset. On this day, another ritual 'Kharna' is observed wherein devotees cook 'kheer' and share it with family, friends and relatives.
The third day is 'Chhath' when devotees offer 'Arghya'. On Friday, devotees will stand in waist-deep water and offer prayers to the sun on the banks of Gomti. A day after Chhath, the final day of the puja, devotees along with their friends and relatives assemble at the riverbank before sunrise and offer 'arghya' amid chanting of mantras and hymns from Rig Veda.
During the festival, married women observe a fast for over 38 hours for a long life, well-being and prosperity of their husband and sons. Devotees after offering salutations to the sun indulge in singing folklores, hymns from Rig Veda for the better upkeep of their family. "While offering arghya, we keep seasonal fruits in a basket in multiple of six and hence, the festival is known as Chhath," said Anita Bajpai, a housewife.
One of the popular beliefs associated with it is that Chhath is a festival of truth, non-violence, forgiveness and compassion. "Chhath is a way to thank Sun, the powerhouse of energy, for showering its blessings on earth ," said Sheila Tewari.
According to legend, the Chhath tradition was started by Kunti's son Karna who was blessed by the mythological Sun god to become a great warrior.