New Delhi | Jagran Lifestyle Desk: Today is the fourth and final day of the Chhath Puja. This day is known as 'Usha Arghya'. On this day, the devotees offer 'arghya' to rising sun. The auspicios timing and muhurat for this year's Ushay Arghya is between 6 AM to 7:30 AM on November 3.
The devotees gather at the bank of the river early in the morning and sit there until the sun rises. With sunrise, the morning arghya is offered and the devotees stand in water with 'Arghya' (offerings) kept in sauri. After the Arghya is offered, they distribute 'prasad' with fellow vrattis and devotees present at the Chhath Ghat.
What is Chhath Puja?
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival which is celebrated in parts Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. This year, Chhatt is celebrated from October 31 to November 3. On Chhath Puja, women observe fast to worship the Sun god and his sister Shashti Devi and seek his blessings. They wake up early to offer water and flowers to Lord Surya and then observe fast.
Chhath Puja is observed twice a year and it involves bathing in the holy river, fasting and abstaining from drinking water, standing in water for long periods of time, and offering prasad to the setting and rising sun. It is also known by the names Chhath Puja, Surya Shashthi Puja, Dala Chhath, Chhath Mai Puja, Chhathi Mai, Chhath.
The prasad which is offered to the Sun god and his sister Shashti Devi includes sweets, kheer, thekua, rice laddu and fruits. The food is cooked without salt, onions or garlic with emphasis on maintaining the purity of the food.
The timings of sunrise and sunset are specifically important for Chhath. The festival is specifically celebrated across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In Uttar Pradesh, the timings for sunrise is 6.05 am while that of sunset is 5.17 pm. In Bihar, the sunrise timings is 5.57 am while sunset timings is 5.08 pm.
Four days of Chhath Puja:
Nahaye Khaye: This is the first day of Chhath Puja. On this day, people should wear new cloths and should eat special pure vegetarian food. The other family members take food only after the fasting person has taken food.
Kharna and Lohanda: This is the second day of the Chhath Puja. People on this day, people prepare kheer with jaggery in the evening. During this day, salt and sugar are prohibited.
Chhath Puja and Sandhya Arghya: On this day, special worship of Chhath Maiya is done. Women make special offering to the Sun god by preparing thekua and rice laddus. After preparing the prasad, the worshippers keep the contents in bamboo baskets following which the male member of the house puts that basket of worship on his head and takes it to the banks of the pond or river. There, after bathing, they worship the setting sun and offer Arghya with milk and Ganga water.
Usha Arghya and Parana: On this day, people worship the rising sun offer Arghya with milk and Ganga water after which prasad is distributed among the people.