Chhath Puja 2023: How the tradition of worshiping the Sun God began

Chhath Puja is a Hindu festival that celebrates the Sun God, Surya. Today, people pray to the Sun God for prosperity in their lives. They also thank the Lord for his omnipresent light and for granting the possibility of life on Earth. Chhath is mainly celebrated in Bihar, UP, Jharkhand, Nepal and similar diasporas worldwide.

Chhath Puja lasts four days. This year, it will be celebrated from November 17 to 20. The festival has been held since the Vedic era, and many stories about its origin have been shared.

The Chhathpuja tradition originated during the Mahabharata period after Suryaputra Karna started worshipping the Sun. Karna was a great devotee of Lord Surya. He used to stay in the water for hours and offer prayers to the Sun God Surya in the morning. Karna became a great warrior, and hence, the tradition of offering water to the Sun while he was standing in the water prevailed.

Another story revolving around the Pandavas and Draupadi. The royal family celebrated Chhath to regain their lost honour, wealth and kingdom. After this, they returned to Hastinapur and regained their kingdom after the Kurukshetra war.

The Chhath festival also shares its origins in the Ramayana era. According to mythology, when Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, he decided to perform Rajasuya Yagya to free himself from the sin of killing Ravana. The wise men of his council ordered him to carry out this tradition. During this, Mugdal Rishi purified Mother Sita by sprinkling water from the Ganges. He also ordered Mata Sita to worship the Sun God on the Shukla Paksha Shashthi date of the Kartik month. After this, Goddess Sita worshipped the Sun God for six days. Chhath is believed to be first celebrated in the town of Dev of the erstwhile Gaya district of Bihar. It is now situated in Aurangabad.