Chhath Puja 2022: Know the significance and history behind Chhath Puja
By: Divya Thearia
29 October 2022 (New Delhi): On Shashti Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month, Chhath Puja is celebrated. Chhath Puja begins only after Diwali. Let us tell you that in Chhath Puja, the fast is completed only after offering Arghya to the solar eclipse in the morning. On the other hand, Chhath Puja is not a one-day festival but a four-day festival. The festival of Chhath Puja begins with a bath.
On the day of Chhath Puja, it is necessary for all women to take a bath before fasting. After this, the women take satvik food, and this whole process is called Nahay-Khaya. Many things of importance are hidden behind the making of Chhath Puja. Let us tell you the history of Chhath Puja and why Chhath Puja is celebrated.
History of Chhath Puja
The Ramayana
According to the Ramayana, Lord Rama and Mother Sita kept a fast on the day of the establishment of Ram Rajya after the conquest of Lanka. Let us tell you that Lord Rama and Sita Mata worshipped the Sun God by keeping this fast on the Shashti date of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. After which, he also received blessings from the Sun God after performing Saptami again at sunrise.
According to the Mahabharata
According to the Mahabharata, the Chhath festival is believed to have started in the Mahabharata period. On this day, Karna, son of Suryadev, first started worshipping Suryadev. Let us tell you that Karna was the ultimate devotee of Suryadev. Karna used to offer Arghya to Suryadev every day by standing in water till her waist for hours. Since then, Karna has become a great warrior by the grace of Suryadev.
In the Vayu Purana, there is a description of Draupadi performing Chhath Mahavrata. During the exile of the Pandavas with Draupadi, when 88 thousand sages had reached Yudhishthira together as Brahmaveta Taporupi, then due to Yudhishthira’s concern about feeding all the sages, Draupadi had fulfilled the law of this fast with the advice of her priest, Maharaja Dhaumya. Dhaumya had told Draupadi to observe Chhath fasting by Sukanya and Nagakanya in Satyug and its law.
According to the Puranas
According to the Puranas, King Prayavad did not have any children, so the sage Kashyap performed the Putreshti Yagya and then gave the Kheer made for the sacrifice to his wife. Please tell me that due to this, he had a son but he died. Then King Prayavad took his dead son to the cremation ground and started sacrificing his life in separation from his son. But at the same time, Devasena, the Manas Kanya of Brahma ji, appeared.
After she appeared, she said that being born from the sixth part of the original nature of the universe, I am called Shashthi. At the same time, he also said, “Hey! Rajan, you should worship me and inspire others to worship me as well.” Let us tell you that King Prayavad, wishing for his son’s wish, fasted on Goddess Pashti, and after that, he also got the son Ratna.