Last Updated on 4 November 2024 IST | Chhath Puja 2024: As we know that India is the land of festivals and each and every festival is celebrated with great joy by the community it belongs to. So, today this blog will shed light on the festival of Chhath Puja which will further guide us to the reality behind the rituals of the festival. To know all this, just go through the blog completely.
Key Highlights on Chhath Puja 2024
- Chhath Puja is widely celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Nepal to worship the Sun god and Chhathi Maya.
- The word “Chhath” signifies the sixth day of the Kartik month in the Hindu calendar, corresponding to October or November in the Gregorian calendar.
- The festival spans four days: Nahay-Khay, Lohanda and Kharna, Sandhya Arghya, and Usha Arghya, with fasting and ritualistic offerings.
- Chhath rituals involve standing in waist-deep water to offer “Arghya” (water) to the Sun, but Holy Scriptures do not specify this practice for divine benefits.
- Scriptures like the Srimad Bhagavad Gita state that fasting is not a path to spiritual success, as outlined in chapter 6, verse 16.
- The Supreme God, described as Kabir Saheb, is beyond the Sun, moon, and other deities, who themselves cannot grant salvation.
Meaning of Chhath Puja
Chhath Puja festival is celebrated in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, certain regions of Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. The meaning of Chhath is 6th in the Bhojpuri language because it falls on the 6th day in the Kartik month of Hindu Calendar which falls in the months of October and November as per the Gregorian calendar. This festival focuses on the worshiping and thanking the Sun god and Chhathi Maya or Shashti Devi (sister of Sun god).
Chhath Puja Date 2024
Chhath Puja date 2024 happens to be on 7th November. However, rituals are celebrated over 4 days.
How Is Chhath Celebrated?
Chhath Puja is celebrated twice a year; during summer and winter. The celebrations will last for 4 consecutive days which are:-
- Nahay-Khay
- Lohanda and Kharna
- Sandhya Arghya(evening offerings)
- Usha Arghya(morning offerings)
Rituals of the festival include fasting without water for about 36 hours and worshipping the Sun god is considered to be sacred. Along with that, a strictly pure vegetarian food without salt, onion and garlic is preferred at the time of breaking the fast which is offered to the Sun god during sunrise. Although these rituals are not mentioned in any of our Holy Scriptures still being followed into the society.
Customs and Traditions of Chhath Puja
Chhath Puja is celebrated with a unique set of customs that showcase the rich cultural heritage of the regions where it is observed. However, these customs are not mentioned in God gifted Holy scripture, which makes them useless as per Shrimad Bhagavad Gita chapter 16 verse 32 & 34. Some of the distinctive elements include:
1. Thekua Preparation: Thekua, a traditional sweet made of whole-wheat flour, jaggery, and ghee, is one of the most popular offerings during Chhath Puja.
2. Decorated Ghats: Riverbanks or ghats are decorated with diyas (oil lamps), flowers, and colorful rangolis. These ghats serve as the focal point for gathering and rituals.
3. Offering Arghya: Devotees present water to the Sun by standing in waist-deep water, facing the Sun. But have you ever wondered if this spiritual practice brings any real benefits?
4. Vratis’ Attire: Women Vratis typically wear traditional sarees, often yellow or orange and men wear dhotis or kurta-pajamas.
Significance of Chhath Puja
The real essence of any festival is in unearthing the actual facts (as per our Holy Scriptures) behind the rituals practiced with it. Chhath puja is a 4-day festival and there are rituals practiced with it are completely opposite to the Holy Scriptures. Hence performing them for attaining some benefits from God is no way near to reality.
People worship the sun god on this day for bestowing bounties on earth to keep the living beings alive with all its power. According to the people, the Sun is the source of all life on Earth and hence these celebrations are undertaken to thank him. But in reality all these gods derive their power from the Supreme God.
Does the Sun Really Support Life on This Planet?
There is no doubt that mankind, flora and fauna sustain on earth due to the presence of the Sun. The heat of the Sun maintains the conditions on earth liveable. But the fact that the Sun can also cause great damage to our planet is also true and cannot be neglected.
Everyone is aware that the sun emits UV rays which is dangerous and threatening when it comes to sustaining life on earth. These are responsible for depletion of the ozone layer which is protecting earth and exposure to them can even cause skin and other forms of cancer in human and animal species.
Is Worshiping the Sun God Really Helping?
Also, the solar flares can lead to geomagnetic storms on earth. Many times the Sun emits solar flares generating a geomagnetic storm of g3 intensity and every telecommunication company puts on high alert in such situations. Strong ones can even bring all information and communication systems to a standstill and earth will be without power for months altogether.
■ Read in Hindi: Chhath Puja [Hindi]: गीतानुसार छठ पूजा नही है शास्त्रानुकूल साधना, प्रमाण सहित जानिए क्या है सत साधना?
Since people are worshiping the Sun god then these events should not be happening. But there is no stopping these events. This itself indicates that these rituals are futile and render no benefits.
What Do Holy Scriptures Say About Chhath Puja Vrat?
This is completely baseless because expecting anything from anyone except the Supreme God (as per our Holy Scriptures) is childishness. It is the Supreme God who created the entire universe and has complete supremacy over the sun, moon, stars, and all the other elements of nature. Thus worshipping them and expecting returns from them is futile. They are meant to be respected, not worshipped. Saint Garibdas (from Haryana) describes the glory of that Supreme God in His God-Given Spiritual Knowledge:-
Gareeb, Chand soor paani pavan, Dharni dhaul aakash |
Paanch tatv haziri khade, Khijamtidar khawas ||
People seem to be blindly following the rituals celebrated with this festival but sadly none of them are in accordance with our Holy Scriptures i.e. Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita and Holy Vedas. There is no provision of keeping fasts in neither of the above mentioned two Holy Scriptures. And practicing anything other than our Holy Scriptures is in vain as it gives no benefit. Sant Garibdas Ji Maharaj (from Haryana) says in His God-Given Spiritual knowledge:-
Gareeb, Kotik teerath brat kari, Koti gaj kari dan |
Koti ashv bipro diye, Mite na khaicha taan ||
Our holy scriptures do not propagate observing fasts. As per Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita verse 6:16, it is clear that the devotion of those who keep fast is not successful and hence not useful.
- Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita chapter 6 verse 16:-
Na, ati, ashrnatH, tu, yogH, asti, na, ch, ekantm’,
AnshrnatH, na, ch, ati, swapnsheelasya, jagrtH, na, ev, ch, Arjun ||
Translation:- Therefore Oh Arjun, contrary to this, the bhakti for attaining that Purna Parmatma is neither successful by sitting in a solitary place on a special seat or posture, nor of a person who eats too much, and nor of a person who does not eat at all i.e. keep fasts, nor of a person who sleeps too much, and nor of a person who forcefully keeps awake.
Chhath Puja 2024: As per Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita verse 16:23, any spiritual practice other than those mentioned in our Holy Scriptures is of no use and hence in vain.
- Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita chapter 16 verse 23:-
YaH, shastrvidhim’, utsrjya, vartte, kamkaratH, na, saH,
Siddhim’, avapnoti, na, sukham’, na, paraam’, gatim’ ||
Translation:- He who, abandoning the injunctions of the scriptures, acts according to the whimsical desires, neither attains siddhi/perfection, nor supreme state/salvation, nor happiness. Therefore, it is clear from the above set of proofs that the rituals of this festival are not according to the Holy Scriptures.
What Do Our Holy Scriptures Suggest?
Holy Scriptures instruct us to worship the Immortal Supreme Invincible God who does not fall in the cycle of birth and death and is above all the well-known Gods (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiv, Durga, Ganesh, Kaal, etc). Since all of these are themselves mortal and can only give us what we are destined for, they cannot help us achieve salvation.
- Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita chapter 18 verse 62:-
Tam′, ev, sharnam′, gachchh, sarvbhaaven, Bharat,
Tatprsaadaat′, paraam′, shaantim′, sthanm′, prapsyasi, shaashvatam′ ||
Translation:- Oh Bharat! You, in every respect, go in the refuge of only that Supreme God. By the grace of that Supreme God only, you will attain the supreme peace and the everlasting place (dhaam/lok) i.e. Satlok.
The narrator of Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita in verse 17:23 advises us to recite OM-TAT-SAT for attaining salvation in which TAT and SAT are indicative words to be disclosed by a Tatvdarshi Saint.
- Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita chapter 17 verse 23:
Om Tat′, Sat′, iti nirdeshH, BrhmnH, trividhH, smritH,
BrahmnaH, ten, vedaH, ch, yagyaH, ch, vihitaH, pura ||
Translation:- ॐ/Om mantra of Brahm, Tat – this is coded mantra of ParBrahm, Sat – this is coded mantra of Purna Brahm. In this way, there is direction of remembrance of three types of mantras of Purna Parmatma, and in the beginning of nature, based on that very true spiritual knowledge (Tatvgyan), the scholars created Vedas and yagya etc. They used to worship according to that.
■ Also Read: Chhath Puja: Reality of Chhath Puja Ritual and Traditions
Who is that Supreme GOD?
Kabir Parmeshwar or Kabir Saheb or Kabir The Weaver is that Everlasting, Indestructible God who descends on earth in His own name Kabir in Kalyug on the Holy land of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is the one who descends on earth in all the four ages and introduces us with the True Spiritual Knowledge. And thus exposes all the other false religious leaders who are playing with the trust of their devotees. Saint Garibdas (from Haryana) describes the prominence of this true spiritual knowledge in his God-Given Spiritual Knowledge:-
Garib, Aisa Nirmal Gyan Hai, Nirmal kare sharir |
Or gyan mandlik hai, Chakwe Gyan Kabir ||
By the help of this true spiritual knowledge, we can easily realize that we are trapped here in this Kaal Lok (Satan’s World) in the ferocious cycle of birth and death into 84 lakh species of animals. The only way to get freedom from this curse is the refuge of Kabir Parmeshwar who can take our souls to that eternal place Satyalok and hence we can become immortal. And for this purpose, He comes and meets His pious souls and germinates the seed of worship inside them thus easing their way to salvation. Lord Kabir says:-
Gota maru swarg mein, Ja paithu patal |
Gareebdas dhundat firu, Hire manik lal ||
Kabir, Bhakti Beej vinshe nahi, Aaye pado so jhool |
Je kanchan vishta pade, Ghate na taka mol ||
He is the only Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient God who is also mentioned in all the Holy Scriptures of each and every religion and firmly proves that God is One and is Kabir Parmeshwar. Some of the proofs are mentioned below:-
- He is mentioned in Holy Geeta ji’s verse 2:17, 7:29, 8:1, 8:3, 8:8-10, 8:21-22, 15:4, 15:17, 18:62, 64, 66 with the name Param Akshar Purush and Kavir Dev.
- And in Holy RigVeda, Mandal no 9: Sukt 20 Mantra 1, Sukt 82 Mantra 1-2, Sukt 86 Mantra 26-27, Sukt 94 Mantra 1, Sukt 96 Mantra 16-20 and in Holy YajurVeda in Chapter 29 Verse 25 and in various other verses, Lord Kabir is mentioned as Kavir Dev.
Who Can Help Us Attain The Supreme God & Salvation?
Attainment of the Supreme God can only be possible through His Tatvdarshi Saint who is the True Representative of the Supreme God Kabir and He is being referred to in Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita verse 4:34.
Currently, Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj from Haryana, India is the one and only Tatvdarshi Saint who is giving us the True way of worship for getting rid of all our hardships. And He is proving day by day that God favors His righteous soul who follows the True path of Worship. Kabir Saheb says to His pious soul Dharamdas:-
Jo Mam Sant Sat Updesh Dridave, Vake sang sabhi radd bhadave |
Ya sab sant mehant ki karni, Dharamdas Main to se varni ||
Therefore, on inspecting all of the proofs, come into the refuge of Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj without any delay as He is the only one we can rely on in this Kaal Lok. Read the Sacred Book Gyan Ganga to know more.
FAQ: Chhath Puja 2024
Answer: Chapter 6 verse 16
Answer: 7th November to 20th November
Answer: Chhath Puja is a holiday in selected states but not a national holiday.
Answer: The Supreme God is Kabir Saheb, who is supremacy above other deities including Sun God.
