Chaat festival

Chhat is a very joyous and colorful festival. All the people dress up in their best.

Loud and devotional music reverberates in the air, purifying the whole atmosphere. Folk songs are sung both at home and on the riverbank. Millions of people throng the banks of river Ganges in Patna (Capital of Bihar) to celebrate Chhat.

The streets are kept spotlessly clean by bands of volunteers, who also decorate all streets leading to the river with colorful festoons, ribbons, and banners.

The offerings of deep fried and sweet rolls of stone ground wheat flour, grapefruit, whole coconuts, bananas, and grains of lentils are also very peculiar. These items are contained in small, semicircular pans woven out of bamboo strips.

Strict vegetarian menu is observed and food is cooked without salt, onions or garlic. There is a lot of importance give to maintaining the purity of the food.

Once families start Chhat worship, it is continued by the following generations also. If unable to perform the puja themselves for personal reasons, one should assist some one else who is performing the puja, then to abandon the puja totally.

Celebrated In : Bihar and where ever people from Bihar live
Dedicated to : Sun God
Duration : 4 days
In the month of : October or November

THE COLOURFUL FESTIVAL:

Though there are many festivals that are celebrated by the Hindus of Bihar, but there is one Hindu festival that is uniquely Bihari, and that is the festival of Chhat. Observed mostly by the people of North Bihar, it is dedicated to the worship of the Sun God and therefore, is also known as SuryaShashti. Chhat is considered to be
a means to thank the Sun for bestowing the bounties of life on earth, as also for fulfilling particular wishes.

The word Chhat denotes the number six and thus the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu month of Kartik in the Hindu lunar calendar, corresponding to late October and mid November, depending on the year. It is one of the holiest festivals for Biharis and extends for four days.

Beliefs:

There is a popular belief that all the desires of the devotees are always fulfilled during Chhat. Also, an element of fear is present among the devotees who dread the punishment for any misdeed during Chhat. The city remains safe and experiences peace during this time when criminals too prefer to be a part of the good.

The Days Of Festivity:

The festival of Chhat is unique to Bihar and is marked by 4 day long celebrations and rituals.

Day 1:

To wash away their sins, the devotees take a dip, preferably in the holy river Ganges and bring the river water to prepare the offerings.

Day 2:

The devotees observe a fast for the whole day, which is broken in late evening, after performing worship at home. The offerings - typically kheer (rice pudding), puris (deep-fried puffs of wheat flour) and bananas - are distributed among family and visiting friends and relatives.

Day 3:

The day is spent preparing the offerings at home. In the evening the devotees move to a riverbank or a pond where offerings are made to the setting sun. At nightfall, the devotees along with the family and friends return home where another colorful celebration takes place. Under a canopy of sugar cane sticks, clay elephants which contain earthen lamps, and containers full of the offerings, are placed. There the fire god is worshipped.

Day 4:

On the final day of the festivities of the grand festival, again the devotees, family and friends, move to the riverbank. Offerings are made to the rising sun, this time. At the completion of the offerings, there is great celebration. The devotees break their fast and the rich offerings are made to all the people around.