Chhath Puja 2023 Date in India

Chhath Puja 2023 Date Calendar in India

During the Chhath Puja, the Sun God, Surya, who represents energy and life force, is worshiped to support well-being, prosperity, and growth. Surya Shashti, Chhath, Chhathi, Chhath Parv, Dala Puja, and Dala Chhath are other names for Chhath Puja.

Chhath Puja Twice a Year

The Sun God, the source of all abilities, is honored throughout the four-day festival. The Sun God’s devotees undertake a fast known as Vrati. Every year, Chhath Puja takes place twice: once in the summertime and another in the winter.

On the sixth day of the Karthika month, Karthik Chhath is celebrated on Kartika Shukla Shashti. According to the Hindu calendar, this festival occurs every year in October or November. Another one is Chaiti Chhath, observed a few days after Holi in the summer.

In comparison to other Hindu festivals, Chhath Puja traditions are said to be more strict. They entail strict fasting without water, swimming in rivers or other bodies of water, praying while standing in the water, spending a lot of time facing the sun, and offering “prasad” to the sun at sunrise and sunset. Nothing will be cooked during the celebration that contains salt, onions, or garlic.

Chhath Puja 2023 4-Day Festival

It is celebrated in four days. The first day is Nahay Khay -Fasting all day long and bathing in a holy body of water. Women who are fasting are allowed one meal each day. The food must be prepared at home. The second day is Lohanda and Kharna -The entire day must be spent keeping fast. It is broken with prasad and after dusk. Popular prasad are Kheer and Chapati. A second fast must be kept for 36 hours without water following this. The third day is Sandhya Arghya – When the sun is sinking, prasad is made at home and brought to the river in the evening. When executing this ceremony, women dress in sarees that are turmeric yellow in color.

Lastly, the fourth day is Usha Arghya – Worshippers make offerings to the rising sun at the riverside on the festival’s final day. The celebration ends when the worshippers break their 36-hour fast on this day. Family members eat prasad together. Here are the ingredients that go into producing prasad, which is particularly important to this festival: rice, fresh fruits, dry fruits, wheat, jaggery, almonds, coconuts, and ghee. Thekua, a wheat-flour cookie, is a well-liked food by everyone.

History of Chhath puja 2023

Now that you know about the rituals let’s dive into the history of Chhath puja.

Hindu mythology believes that Draupadi and the Pandavas used to perform the Chhath Puja to reclaim their Kingdom and find answers to their challenges. According to a different story, Chhath Puja used to be performed by Karna, who was the son of Lord Surya and Kunti.

Additionally, it is stated that to benefit from the sun’s rays and perform the Chhath puja, the yogis of the Vedic era used to expose themselves to direct sunlight.

Therefore in 2023, Chhath Puja is celebrated on Sunday, 19 November, and ends on Wednesday, 22 November.

Chhath Puja 2023 FAQ