Chhath 2017: Festivity In Air Across Bihar As Chhath Puja For 2017 Begins

Patna: Chhath for 2017 has begun in the state of Bihar, where it is the most popular Hindu festival.  Markets across Bihar are flooded with traditional items used in the different days of Chhath Puja, like earthen lamps and clay stoves. A cleanliness drive is on in many villages and towns to celebrate different days of Chhath in Bihar, like Naha Kha, Sandhya Arghya and Usha Arghya.

For the four-day Chhath parv, locally known as "Mahaparv", devotees are busy buying dry wood of mango trees, "soop" and "tokri", locally known as daura - made up of bamboo, "mitti ka chulha" (earthen stove), earthen utensils, earthen lamps, "August ka phool", "lauki" (gourd), "ghaagar nimbu", sugarcane stems and other products.

"Natural products have flooded market as devotees have to use them only during Chhath parv. These items are mandatory to pray and worship the setting and rising Sun God and to observe fast," said Manju Devi, a housewife, who has been celebrating the festival for over three decades.

Melodious devotional folk songs by popular singers, including Sharda Sinha, Devi and Kalpanna, are being played loudly at market places.

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People have been making special efforts to clean homes and lanes connecting to the Ganga ghats and ponds.

Shopkeepers and vendors selling the Chhath puja items are hopeful of earning extra money due to the high demand.

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In different parts of Bihar, particularly in Patna, hundreds of roadside temporary shops have sprung up where the vendors, mostly poor men and women, are selling these items. Besides, big shops are also selling such items.

Roadside vendors are also selling "baddhi", "aiya", "alta", "sindur", "kapur" and "chandan" besides other small but essential items for devotees.

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The dry wood of mango trees is used as fuel for cooking the traditional meal of boiled rice and lauki (gourd) on Tuesday, the first day of Chhath, known as "Naha Kha".

It is believed that mango wood helps the food cook properly because of its low flame.

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"August ka phool" is being sold at Rs 800-1,000 per kg, in view of the demand.

"Lauki" (gourd) is selling at Rs 50 to 80 per piece due to high demand.

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"Devotees cannot cook any other vegetable. 'Lauki' has been consumed on 'Naha Kha' for ages. It is good for the stomach," said Saket Kumar, whose aunty follows this ritual every year.

Devotees, mainly married women, throng river banks and different water bodies for a bath before preparing the food known as "Naha Kha" that marks the beginning of Chhath in the year 2017.

Banana is an essential fruit offered to the Sun God during Chhath. In view of its high demand, bananas from Andhra Pradesh have flooded the market.

Besides banana, 'ghaagar nimbu', coconut, apple, orange and sugarcane are also bought for the ritual.

The administration, along with dozens of voluntary organisations, is working round-the-clock to manage the crowds and keep the areas around river banks clean.

Chhath is a festival associated with faith, purity and devotion to the Sun God. Married women observe fast during the festival.

The Chhath dates are Naha Kha on 24th October, Kharna on 25th October, Sandhya Arghya on 26th October and Usha Arghya on 27th October.