छठ पर्व

The four days of Chhath

Chhath is a 36-hour nirjala vrat wrapped inside four days of discipline. This is what each day asks of the vratti.

Kartik Shukla Chaturthi

नहाय खाय

Nahay Khay

The household is purified and the vrat begins with a single sattvic meal.

The vratti bathes in a river or pond and carries home holy water.
The kitchen is scrubbed clean; only bronze or clay vessels are used.
One meal is eaten: arwa rice, chana dal and lauki (bottle gourd), cooked without onion or garlic.

Kartik Shukla Panchami

खरना

A day-long fast without water, broken at dusk with kheer and roti.

The vratti fasts from sunrise to sunset without even a sip of water.
After evening prayers, rasiaw-kheer made of jaggery, milk and rice is offered to Chhathi Maiya.
Once the vratti eats, the 36-hour nirjala fast begins.

Kartik Shukla Shashthi

संध्या अर्घ्य

Offering arghya to the setting sun, standing in the water at dusk.

Thekua, sugarcane, coconut, banana and seasonal fruit are arranged in the soop and daura.
The family walks to the ghat singing Chhath geet.
Arghya is offered to the setting sun; the night is spent at the ghat with Kosi bharai and lamps.

Kartik Shukla Saptami

उषा अर्घ्य

Arghya to the rising sun, then the fast is broken with prasad.

Devotees return to the ghat before dawn and wait in the water for the first ray.
Arghya is offered to the rising sun and Surya Aarti is sung.
The vratti breaks the fast with ginger, water and thekua; prasad is shared with the whole neighbourhood.