Chhath Pooja in Bangalore

MadanMohan Tarun

Chhath pooja is basically a festival which is celebrated mainly in Bihar. Now it has traveled in almost all parts of India , wherever people from Bihar have gone. It is now accepted harmoniously everywhere.

Chhath is celebrated twice in a year. On the sixth day of Amavasya in the month of Chaitra (March-April) and on the sixth day after Deepavali in the month of Kartikeya (November), according to Hindu calendar.

It is celebrated regularly by some Muslim families also.

This festival is dedicated to the worship of Lord Sun, the god of light.

Performers of this pooja keep fast for two days. Men and women, stand in the river water or in some pond  facing the sun ,keeping a  SOOP(made of bamboo chips) in their hands, full of fruits , coconut and other fruits.  They offer ARGhYA ,by  flowing milk or water to the sun. The first day pooja is offered to the setting sun and it is concluded next day with the pooja of rising sun.

A bundle of five compact sugarcane with leafs  areplaced before every pooja - performers.

They light earthen lamps (Deepak) before the setting and rising sun.

This is a highly meaningful pooja in my view.

The setting sun is a traveler, who is ready to pass through the darkest valleys of night.

It conveys that everybody has to face darkness in his or her life but it is also true that  finally it is the light which wins.

Worshipping setting sun is an assurance of all to him that they are always with him and they will  continue waiting him till he is back with a new and fresh morning, full of new life.

I watched this pooja in Bangalore this time. It was attended by thousands of people on the both days.

It was organized by ‘Siddharth Sanskritic Sangathan.’ Kannadiga – Bihari Sangathhan , Bangalore.

It was Celebrated in Kalyaani sankey Tank . This 500 year old water body was given this charming shape by architect colonel Richard E Sankey of the Madras sappers Regiment. This huge lake, spread in 37 .1 acres , is an eye chanting place surrounded by beautiful trees and flowers.