Chhath Puja spans four days, with the main rituals performed on the sixth day of the Hindu month of Kartika. The festival begins with Nahay Khay (taking a holy dip in the river), followed by fasting and offering prayers. On the second day, devotees prepare offerings, including the sacred sweet called thekua, and wait for the Chhath evening when they stand in water to offer prayers to the setting sun. On the final day, known as Suryodaya (sunrise), the devotees gather once again by the water to offer their thanks and seek blessings from the rising sun.
In ancient scriptures, water bodies are considered sacred, and standing in the river during the prayers is said to purify the devotee’s mind and soul, connecting them to the divine energy of the Sun and the Earth.
Photography: Athar Rather and Zerneela Mohammed Wakil
Camera assist: Ruqaiya Shakeel and Ishant Jadaun
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