Chhath Puja - Kartika Chhath Festival - Chhati Maiya Ritual

women performing Chhath Puja 
(image provided by Gemini)

 What is Chhath

Chhath Puja is a ritual observed by women on the sixth day after Deepavali. It is also known as Surya Shashti. Surya Shasthi means the sixth-day ritual observed in veneration of the Sun God.

In the year 2025, the main Chhath Puja is celebrated on 27 October. It is done on the 3rd day.

Chhath Puja is actually a 4-day-long ritual, observed strictly by the devotees. The main Puja is done on the third day without taking any food.

People worship the Sun God along with his consort, known as Chhathi Maiya, by fasting and bathing in rivers or nearby water bodies. The sun is the God of Energy, light, heat, and is the source of life on Earth. So, it is a form of gratitude and devotion shown to Him through fasting and worship.

The four parts of the worship are given the following names and are done on four consecutive days/tithis.

The Four Tithis and parts of the worship are: 

Kartika Shukla Chaturthi Tithi: Nahaay-Khaay (Bathe and Eat)

Kartika Shukla Panchami Tithi: Lohanda-Kharna (Lohanda is a deep iron bowl or pan in which food is cooked. Kharna refers to strictness and purity. It is a kind of tool used to prepare the body for the next stage of a 36-hour fast) 

Kartika Shukla Shashti Tithi: Sandhya Arghya

Kartika Shukla Saptami Tithi: Suryodaya and Usha Arghya

How to Do Chhath Puja

As mentioned earlier, there are four stages in the Chhath Puja ritual. I am discussing them one by one.

Day One- Nahaay-Khaay

The devotees wake up early in the morning, clean their homes and surroundings, and take a holy bath. They wear clean and pure clothes. The home and the puja area should be consecrated with Ganga jal or water purified by reciting the slokam "gangEcha, yamunEchhaiva, gOdaavari, saraswati. narmada sindhu kAvEri jalsmin sannidhim kuru." Then, a vegetarian meal is prepared with rice. Bengal gram lentils, and green vegetables such as bottle gourd. This food is cooked in Ghee and water, and offered to the deity (Sun) in the afternoon as Naivedyam. It is then consumed by the devotee performing the ritual as the sole meal for the day.

Day Two- Lohanda/Kharna

On the second day, after taking a bath, some devotees may abstain from drinking water as an austerity before consuming the prasadam. A sweet food known as Rasiyav or Kheer is prepared as naivedyam for the God. It is cooked in a pot made of tin. The ingredients for rasia are rice, milk, and jaggery. This food is offered to Surya Bhagawan in the evening and thereafter consumed with rotis. After this food, most devotees prefer to observe a 36-hour fast, even foregoing water. If you can't go without water, you may drink it or any fruit juices.

Day Three- Sandhya Arghya and Kosi Bharai

The third is the most important part of this ritual. After taking the holy bath, the entire day is spent in worship, bhajan kirtans, and preparing food for the evening offering. It is a way of distracting the mind from stress and strain caused by the fasting done by devotees. 

It is better to invite people from your neighbourhood to participate in these rituals. Performing the rituals as a group is the best way to uplift your spirits. It could be a shared happiness and satisfaction. 

The main receipes cooked for the offering are thekua or khajuria sweets/cookies, rice laddus known as kasar, puri, etc. These varieties are cooked wearing pure clothes, and employing pure ingredients.

In the evening, the devotees carry these food items in the baskets to a riverbed nearby or any waterbody. Arghyam is offered to the Sun, before sunset, along with his consort Sandhya Devi (also known as the Chhathi Maiya). You may offer Ganga jal if available, or collect the water from the riverbeds and pour it down facing the Sun, uttering chants. Offer flowers, dhoop, and aarti. Thereafter, offer the food items as Naivedyam.

After the arghyam is done, return to your home and worship your deity. A ritual known as Kosi Bharai is performed. A sacred open space is decorated by erecting a canopy supported by sugar canes to form a mandap. Under this mandap, 12 to 24 oil lamps are lighted. A clay elephant, an earthen pot, and fruits are placed to create an atmosphere of sacred ambience. Offerings of food and fruits are made to those lamps. The participants listen to the vrat katha (the story of the Chhath ritual performed by angels and other epic personalities) and sing Chhath songs throughout the entire night, maintaining a complete fast for more than 30 hours.

Day Four - Usha Arghya and Chhath Samaapan

On the fourth day of the ritual, the devotees go to the river banks by 4 AM, take a bath, and offer the Arghya to the rising sun. The sun may not be visible, but you will witness the purple/red skies and offer the arghya along with fruits and other offerings. They sing the Chhathi Maiya songs and conclude the ritual by eating food.

Deepavali - A Festival of Five Days, Lights and Fireworks

Hi Friends, Happy Deepavali to you all. May Goddess Lakshmi bless you with Prosperity and Happiness.

This year, the Deepavali will be celebrated on two days, October 20 and 21, 2025. The Amavasya tithi begins on the 20th after 3:30 PM and ends at 5:40 PM on October 21st.

So, we will be celebrating the major rituals of the extended festival for six days in 2025 instead of the customary five days. 

For those new to this festival, it is a festival of lights and enjoyment. The lights are lit to drive away darkness, evil, and ignorance. Enjoyment is achieved through wearing new clothes, bursting crackers, and gobbling delicious food.

The traditional practice is to light the oil diyas in the earthen trays. This is the natural way to create an auspicious atmosphere for the celebration. The electric lights are superficial and sometimes give rise to ego.

The same applies to burning crackers. Lighting or bursting a few crackers can be reasonable. However, nowadays, the entire atmosphere is disturbed by continuous fireworks displays, with loud sounds that last all night during Deepavali. 

For me, Deepavali is a festival of 5 to 7 days, depending on traditions and customs. I am including activities such as planning and buying new clothes to extend it to a 7-day celebration, since the first two days can be dedicated to shopping for new clothes, decoration items, and beautifying your home. 

So, after spending the first two days on shopping, cleaning, painting, and decorating activities as mentioned above, the remaining five days are dedicated to the following sequence of celebrations.

Dhanteras

Dhanteras tithi starts at 12:18 PM on 18 and ends at 01:51 PM on October 19, 2025. (It is two days before Deepavali under normal circumstances). Worship can be conducted either on the evening of the 18th or the morning of the 19th. 

On this day, people buy Gold and other metal articles according to their whims and fancies. Idols of Lakshmi made from Gold or Silver are also purchased for worship. Whatever you buy, place them before God during worship on this day. Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera are worshipped on this day, seeking their blessings for prosperity and good luck. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi was born on this day of Ksheer Sagar Manthan (the churning of the Milky Ocean). You may cook any sweet pudding, probably the kheer, in a new utensil purchased for this purpose, and offer it as naivedyam to God.

Chhoti Deepavali or Naraka Chaturdashi

As the major Deepavali celebrations are taking place for four days this year due to the lengthened tithi timings, Naraka Chaturdashi can be split into Naraka Chaturdashi and Chhoti Deepavali. Naraka Chaturdashi was the day when the demon Narakasura was slain by Sri Krishna with the help of his consort Satyabhama. This incident occurred during the late hours of the day, following a fierce battle between them. So, we can celebrate the demise of Narakasura during the late evening hours of October 19 by burning his effigies. As people were free from demons, they celebrated the day by burning the effigies of the Demon Narakasura. That practice continues even today. We erect the effigies of the demons and throw them into a bonfire lit on this night. Children enjoy this occasion by playing with toy drums around the fire. After the bonfire, take an oil bath, put on new clothes, and enjoy the day, relishing feasts, visiting temples, lighting crackers, and more.

On October 20, 2025, we can celebrate the Chhoti Deepavali in the morning by taking an oil bath and lighting some crackers. The real Deepavali celebrations, including the Lakshmi Puja and the lighting of crackers, can be observed in the evening and again on the morning of the 21st.

Deepavali

This year, the main festival of Deepavali is to be celebrated in the evening hours of the 20th and throughout the entire day of October 21. As the Deepavali Lakshmi Puja is to done in the evening hours of the Amavasya tithi, it will be performed on 20th evening. On 21st evening, the tithi changes to Padyami by 5:40 PM.

Deepavali Festival is celebrated on Ashwayuja Amavasya, which normally falls between the second half of October and the first week of November. This day is the continuation of the celebration of the destruction of the evil forces in a grand manner.

Most traditional people take an oil bath in the early hours of Naraka Chaturdashi day itself, and, thereafter, celebrate the demise of Narakasura by worshiping Sri Krishna, wearing new or clean and pure clothes. But nowadays, people are wearing those new clothes on Deepavali Day. 

Homes are decorated with Rangolis, designer garlands, flower garlands, mango leaves, and more. Devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, and light earthen diyas. 

Lakshmi Puja is to be done in the first prahar (or Jhaamu) after sunset. So, it is to be done within 2 hours and 24 minutes after the sunset. 

The worship is done to the oil lamps also by offering dhupa, deepa, naivedyam to those diyas along with Lakshmi Devi. It is customary to light earthen diyas, even if artificial lights are used. After the worship is over, place the diyas on both sides of the entrance door, on porches, boundary walls, and in the backyard. Now, light the crackers and, depending on your mood, indulge in the fireworks display.

There is one more ritual observed by the South Indians, especially in the Telugu culture, to tie oil clothes around the Red Sorrel sticks, light them, and sing a song that translates to " Today, we are celebrating the Deepavali and again will be celebrating this on Nagula Chavithi," which is a festival worshiping the snakes four days after Deepavali. This celebration is designed for the children so that they enjoy some fun by beating those lighted sticks on the ground while singing the lyrics. It is done in the evening, before or after the worship. After this fun activity, the children are offered some sweets before indulging in the fireworks.

Govardhan Puja/ Kedar Gauri Vratam

October 22, 2025

The day after Deepavali is celebrated as Govardhan Puja. People worship Krishna, who lifted the Govardhan Hill to protect them and the cattle from Indra's anger. Indra was upset because Krishna suggested his followers worship nature instead of him. Besides Krishna, we worship the cattle, the farms and fields, and the tools on this day. The entire day is spent admiring and thanking nature.

Another ritual associated with the day after Deepavali is the worship of Parvati in the form of Mother Gauri. This ritual is performed by married women and teenage girls seeking prosperity and a happy married life in their families.

Bhai Dooj

October 23, 2025

The second day after Deepavali is celebrated as Bhai Dooj. This is the day that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. They reach out to each other on this occasion; whether the brother visits the sister or she visits him, it is up to their convenience. If she visits him, she may carry sweets and other puja items with her.

The brother is seated on a clean chair or the puja stool. He will be ready by having his bath and wearing new/clean clothes. She applies a tilak (made up of vermilion, rice flour, and sandal powder) to his forehead. Then, offers the mangal harati to him while chanting some hymns seeking God's blessings for him. Thereafter, she gives some sweets to eat. The brother, in turn, gifts her clothes/jewelry/money as a token of love. The entire family enjoys this day with feasts and celebrations. They may light some crackers also. 

 

Karwa Chauth and Significance of Sargi

Karwa Chauth will be celebrated on October 10, 2025.

Karwa Chauth is a waterless fast and austerity observed by married women to ensure the well-being of their husbands. It is celebrated each year on the fourth day after Purnima (the full moon) between Dussehra and Deepavali.

The word "Karwa" (karawa) refers to the earthen or copper pot in which water is taken for offering to the moon.

The fast begins before sunrise and ends after sighting the moon in the evening. The moon is the ruler of the mind. Worship is performed seeking long life for their husbands, as well as prosperity and peace in marital life.  

Looking at the moon through a sieve represents the process of screening out scattered or unpleasant thoughts. Prayer is the medium for stabilizing the mind. The woman purifies her mind and thoughts through these rituals and, thereafter, looks into the face of her husband. The husband needs to be ready by the time she completes her fast, so that she can look at his face before seeing others. 

What is Sargi

Sargi is a pre-dawn meal prepared by the mother-in-law and given to her daughter-in-law, who is about to fast on this Karwa Chauth day. The food is served on a thali (preferably a new plate) and should contain satvik food, rich in vitamins, nutrients, and proteins.

Besides the pre-dawn meal, Sargi contains clothes and ornaments known as Solah Singaar (16 types of golden jewelry and ornaments that include a necklace, waist-belt, bangles, lipsticks, anklets, bracelets, and other auspicious items for the lady). These are all part of the Sargi offered to the woman by her mother-in-law before the start of the fasting ritual. 

How To Perform Karwa Chauth

• Get up early in the morning before dawn.
• Take a complete bath (known as the oil bath) to purify the body.
• Wear clean and pure clothes, preferably new. If clothes were offered by the mother-in-law, you should wear them for the ritual.
• Wear the jewelry and other items that signify auspiciousness (mangal-sutra, bindi, mehndi,sindhoor, etc.)
• If you are on Nirjala Upavas, you should not drink water till the moon-sighting ceremony.
• Indulge in the worship, chanting prayers, performing bhajans, reading scriptures, etc., throughout the day.
• Preferably, read stories centered around the divinity of women. Stories of Sita Mata, Urmila Devi, Sati Savitri, Ahalya, Arundhati, etc.
• When the moon becomes visible in the sky, offer water to Him and look at him through the sieve.
• She will have to wait till the moon appears, and then only can she break her fast. 
• After seeing the moon, look at your husband's face without looking at other people or things.
• Thereafter, obtain the blessings from her husband and his parents. The ritual concludes in this manner.
• Now, you can eat food/drink water.