Chhath
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chhath or Dala Chhath is a Hindu festival, which is unique to Bihar state, India and Terai of Nepal. This festival is also celebrated in the north-east parts of India; Madhya Pradesh; Uttar Pradesh; and some regions of Chhattisgarh.
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[edit] Etymology
The word “chhath” denotes the number 6 in Hindi and the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Kartik, which corresponds to months of October-November in the Gregorian calendar. The festival of Chhath begins a week after Diwali. Chhath is the holiest Hindu festival of Bihar and extends to four days. This festival has particular significance in Bihar; however, it is also celebrated in UP and nearby areas. Even in Mumbai the migrants from the north celebrate Chhath beside the sea beach.
[edit] The festival
Chhath is a festival dedicated to the Sun God. It is considered to be a means to thank the Sun for bestowing the bounties of life in earth, as also for fulfilling particular wishes. Worship of the Sun has been practiced in different parts of India, and the world from time immemorial. Worship of sun has been described in the Rig Veda, the oldest Hindu scriptures, and hymns praying to the sun in the Vedas are found. In the ancient epic, the Mahabharata, references to worshipping of the sun by Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, are found. It was believed that worshipping of the sun would help cure a variety of diseases, including leprosy, and also ensure longevity and prosperity of the family members, friends and elders.
[edit] Chhath songs
There are a lot of devotional songs dedicated to the Chhath festival.
- A Chhath Song. (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- Problems playing the files? See media help.
[edit] External links
| Festivals in the Hindu calendar |  |
|---|---|
| Sankranti | Hosa Varsha | Gowri Habba | Anantana Vrata | Bheemana Amaavaase | Satyanarayana Pooja | Datta Jayanti | Pongal | Holi | Ugadi | Rama Navami | Krishna Janmaashtami | Onam | Ganesh Chaturthi | Vaisakhi | Navratri | Durga Puja | Vijayadashami | Dasara | Karwa Chauth | Deepawali | Thaipusam | Maha Shivaratri | Ekadasi | Vaikunta Ekadasi | Mahalakshmi vrata | Raksha Bandhan | Bhai-Dooj/Bhau-Beej | Puthandu
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