Chhath Puja 2021: Soon after Diwali, the market gets ready for Chhath Puja The festival of Chhath is celebrated every year six days after Diwali. During the four-day festival, special worship of Lord Surya is done. This time Chhath Mahaparv is starting from 8th November and will continue till 11th November. Chhath Mahaparv is especially celebrated in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Know everything related to the four-day long Chhath festival, dates of Chhath Puja, auspicious time, timing of sunrise and sunset, significance and day-wise schedule:
Chhath Puja 2021 Day 1: Nahay Khay
The first day of Chhath Puja begins with Nahay Khay. On this day, the devotees take bath in holy water, wear new clothes and eat delicious vegetarian food. Other members of the family consume food only after the women who have been fasting eat their meal. This time Nahay Khay is falling on 8th November. On this day, the sunrise will be at 6.42 am in the morning and the sunset will be at 5:27 pm in the evening.
Chhath Puja 2021 Day 2: Kharna
The second day of Chhath Puja is called Kharna. Devotees who observe Chhath on this day fast for the whole day and make Kheer and roti in the evening. This time Kharna will be celebrated on 9th November. On the evening of Kharna, offerings of roti and jaggery kheer are made. Along with this, rice, milk dishes, thekua are also made in the prasad and worshiped with fruits and vegetables. On this day, the sunrise will be at 6.40 am in the morning and the sunset will be at 5:40 pm in the evening.
Chhath Puja 2021 Day 3: Surya Shashth
Arghya is offered to the setting sun in the evening on the third day of Chhath Mahaparva. This time the evening arghya will be given on November 10. On this day Chhath Vratis observe a Nirjala fast for the whole day and offer Arghya to the setting sun in the evening. There is a tradition of offering Arghya to the Sun in a river or pond on this day. Many times people also follow the tradition of offering Arghya to the sun by filling water in the pit in the park located in front of their house.
Chhath Puja 2021 Day 4: Usha Arghya
Arghya is offered to the rising sun on the fourth day of Chhath festival. After offering Arghya, people sit on the ghat and say their prayers, then Prasad is given to the people around. This time Arghya will be offered to the rising sun on November 11.
Chhath Puja 2021 Date and Muhurta
Date- 8 November 2021
Sunrise on the day of Chhath Puja - at 6.42 am in the morning
Sunset on the day of Chhath Puja - at 5:40 pm in the evening
Chhath Puja 2021: Prasad or Offerings
It is considered auspicious to offer variety of things to the Goddess Chhath in these days, such as tekua, malpua, kheer, semolina halwa, rice ladoos, dates etc.
Chhath Puja 2021: Fasting story/ significance
There was a king whose name was Swayambhuva Manu. They had a son, Priyavand. Priyavand did not have any children and that is why he used to be unhappy. Then Maharishi Kashyap performed the Putreshti Yagya and gave prasad to his wife, due to which the queen did concieve, but a dead son was born.
King Priyavand took that dead son to the crematorium. Priyavand also tried to give up his life in the separation of his son. At the same time, Shashti Devi arrived there. Seeing her, the king placed his dead son in the ground and with folded hands to the mother asking for her blessings for him and his dead son. Goddess Shashti picked up the child and brought and brought him to life. After this, the Goddess asked Priyanvand to worship her and if pleased, she will increase the age of his son. The king then went home and performed rituals to please Shashthi Devi with great enthusiasm.
The day on which this incident happened and the worship performed by the king was the Shashthi Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. Due to which the fast of Shashti Devi i.e. Chhath Devi started since then.
