Chhath, a festival of paying homage to the sun, is a four-day affair observed by the Maithili community in Nepal and India. The sixth day from Deepawali or Lakshmi Puja, Kartik Shukla Shashthi is the most important day when the celebrators worship the setting sun without eating a morsel of food or drinking a single drop of water. The fast is broken only at the dawn of the fourth day after worshipping the rising sun and performing a special puja called paaran.[break]
Culture expert and litterateur Dhirendra Premarshi considers Chhath a junction between scientific judgment and primordial belief system. A major ritual of Chhath requires the worshippers to stand in a pool of water and offer prayers to the sun with the belief that it will help them avoid or get rid of skin diseases like leprosy. This idea runs parallel with the simple rule of hygiene which says that the surrounding water resources ought to be kept clean and free of pollution.
Dipesh Shrestha
“In the olden days, people had great faith in religion and they had definite rituals for everything. So, Chhath is just another example of how culture became a tool for following the principles of health and hygiene,” he says.
However, despite having a scientific inclination, Chhath is as much a religious and spiritual event. It is a symbol of absolute faith in a supreme power. The men and women who celebrate Chhath ask for sons, grandsons, wealth, happiness, peace and wellbeing of oneself and one’s family. It is strongly believed that all these wishes are fulfilled if one celebrates Chhath with complete dedication and diligence.
Ashok Raj Thakur, originally from Parsa, has been observing Chhath since childhood. He is fond of the folk songs and homemade sweets that are the highlights of the festival. And he finds it quite interesting that the customs and rituals have survived through the tests and trials of times, and apart from a few minor changes, have remained more or less the same through the centuries.
“Regardless of one’s economic and social status, everybody carries similar pots and baskets and bathes in the same ponds while worshipping the sun. Our culture teaches us the values of humility and devotion,” he says.
The rituals of Chhath come across as being quite difficult and demanding since one can barely eat for four days in a row. The whole idea is to maintain utmost cleanliness while the auspicious rituals are performed. However, unfortunately, the rivers and water resources in Kathmandu are not considered clean enough to take a bath by many celebrators. Bagmati, for instance, used to be a major site where Chhath was observed and the ritual of surya darshan was performed. But in recent times, the crowd around the local water resources is thinning out and people are looking for alternatives.
A teacher, originally from Uttar Pradesh, India, Nilima Rauniyar remembers her mother-in-law visiting Bagmati at the Thapathali side until a few years ago. But increasing pollution and hasty cleansing procedures often carried out right before Chhath discouraged her from taking a bath in the river. These days, the lady performs the rituals on her own terrace instead.
“During Chhath, we have to be very particular about purity and sanitation. But the whole thing becomes pointless if we dip ourselves into a polluted river,” she explains.
Apart from the site of worship, there are a few more things about Chhath that have been changing with current times. Rauniyar points out that instead of self-ground flour and self-grown fruits, grains and vegetables, these days, most items required for the puja are bought from the market. Similarly, she has also witnessed a rise in the number of Chhath observers from other communities.
“Many non-Maithili people are gradually getting attracted towards this festival. Even if they cannot observe it themselves for some reason, they give money to the celebrators and ask them to offer it to the sun while they are performing their prayers,” she says.
This act of social assimilation and cultural tolerance is viewed in a positive light by culture expert and Professor Dinesh Raj Pant. He gives examples of other Nepali festivals like Maata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother’s Day) and Kushe Aunsi (Father’s Day), both of which have been borrowed from the Newar community by others. He also refers to Teej as being a purely Brahmin and Chhetri festival that is also celebrated by many other communities.
“Sometimes, cultures diffuse with time, intimacy and association. And as long as they bring about a vibe of togetherness and unity, this process should be encouraged,” he says.
As a researcher who does not celebrate Chhath, he also finds the ritual of worshipping the setting sun a unique and fascinating one. The major deity of Chhath, the sun, is worshipped for being the provider of light, warmth and life to all mortals on earth. And after so much preparations and puja, it is only natural that the deity has to be bidden adieu with equal respect and joy.
“This signifies a simple act of gratitude. This festival shows that thankfulness is as important as devotion and reverence,” he says.
Along with gratefulness, the festival also gives the lessons of hard work, patience and unity. According to Premarshi, the original system demanded all items to be from one’s own fields, mills and gardens. Grains, betel leaf, sugarcane, coconut, radish, bananas, oranges, sweets like bhusawa, thekuwa, pirikiya, batasha and everything else required for the puja are carried in clay pots and bamboo baskets to the riverbanks for the worship of the setting sun.
“Seventy different items are required during the puja, and all of which have to be grown, cultivated and cooked in one’s own household. So Chhath is also a way of thanking nature for bestowing the family with such prosperity, good health and strength all year round. Moreover, it also increases the business of the potters and basket makers,” he explains.
He further supports Pant’s ideas on showing respect to the setting sun. He points out that in addition to gratitude, this is also an act that signifies generational reverence and equality. It is a ritual that gives equal value to the contributions of the older generation while encouraging the potency and vigor of the upcoming one.
“When we worship the setting sun, we pay our respects to the older generation. The next morning, we worship the rising sun. This is a manner of welcoming the youth and their freshness,” he says.
Chhath is a celebration of the age-old relationship between human beings and nature. It not just binds the families in closer ties but also provides an opportunity to revere the natural forces that operate around us. It reminds us that we are a part of a greater whole. And on the face of the ongoing proceedings of the festival, along with those who celebrate, it may be a nice change even for those who don’t to cast a glance at the setting sun and utter a heartfelt “Thank you!”
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