Rituals associated with the Chhath festival begin today, with devotees across the Tarai-Madhes, Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the country preparing to worship the Sun God.
Observed over four days, from Kartik Shukla Chaturthi to Saptami according to the lunar calendar, Chhath is dedicated to the worship of the setting and rising sun. The festival usually falls between October and November.
The rituals include taking holy baths, fasting, maintaining ritual purity and offering prasad and argha to the setting sun and, the following morning, the rising sun. Devotees observe the fast and other rites while maintaining separation from the main household. They sleep on the floor, usually on a single blanket, during the four-day observance.
The Sun is worshipped as the source of energy and life, with devotees seeking well-being, prosperity and progress. According to religious belief, worshipping the Sun during Kartik Shukla Paksha helps fulfil one's wishes.
Chhath is distinctive in that its rituals do not require the involvement of a priest. Devotees offer prayers to the setting sun before worshipping the rising sun the next morning, symbolically celebrating the cycle of life.
