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Chatti Pooja

Chatti Pooja is a traditional Hindu ritual celebrated on the sixth day after the birth of a child. Predominantly observed in North India, particularly in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, this ceremony is a part of the broader celebrations welcoming the newborn into the family. Chatti Pooja is a way of expressing gratitude to the divine for the child's safe arrival and seeking blessings for the infant's health, happiness, and prosperity.

The ritual involves offering prayers to the goddess Shashti, the protector of children, and other deities. Family members gather to perform the pooja with devotion and enthusiasm, marking the event with prayers, fasting, and a special feast. It is an occasion that brings together family and community, strengthening bonds and celebrating the joy of new life.

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  • Protection of the Child: The primary significance of Chatti Pooja lies in invoking the blessings of Goddess Shashti to protect the newborn from evil influences and ensure the child's well-being.

  • Gratitude and Blessings: The ritual is a way for the family to express gratitude to the divine for the safe birth of the child and to seek blessings for the child's future.

  • Cultural Tradition: Chatti Pooja is an important cultural tradition that connects the family with its ancestral roots, fostering a sense of continuity and belonging.

  • Community Bonding: The pooja brings together family and community members, reinforcing social bonds and shared cultural values.

  • Spiritual Protection: Believed to offer spiritual protection to the newborn from negative energies and evil spirits.

  • Health and Prosperity: The blessings invoked during the pooja are thought to ensure the child's good health, long life, and prosperity.

  • Family Unity: Strengthens family unity as relatives gather to celebrate and participate in the rituals together.

  • Cultural Preservation: Helps in preserving and passing down cultural and religious traditions to the next generation.

  • Emotional Well-being: Provides emotional comfort to the parents, reassuring them of the child's safety and the support of the divine.

Chatti Pooja, also known as Chhath Puja, is a Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God (Surya) and his consort Usha (Chhathi Maiya). It is mainly observed in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and the Madhesh region of Nepal. The festival lasts for four days and involves rigorous fasting, offering prayers, and other rituals. Below is a step-by-step guide to performing Chhath Puja:

Day 1: Nahai-Khai (Kharna)

1. Purification and Preparation:

  • Bathing and Cleaning: The devotee begins the day by taking a bath, typically in a river or a nearby water body, to purify themselves.
  • Home Cleaning: Clean the house thoroughly, especially the area where the puja will be performed.

2. Preparation of the First Meal:

  • Ingredients: The first meal, known as "Lohanda" or "Kharna," is prepared using rice, lentils (dal), and pumpkin cooked in ghee (clarified butter).
  • Offering: The cooked food is offered to the Sun God (Surya) along with milk, jaggery, and fruits.

3. Fasting:

  • The devotee begins fasting after consuming the meal. This is a strict fast, where even water is not consumed (Nirjala Vrat).

Day 2: Lohanda and Kharna

1. Evening Worship:

  • Preparation: Prepare a special meal (Kheer, Roti, fruits, etc.) to offer as prasad. This meal is prepared in a clean and pure environment, often by women who are fasting.
  • Offerings: In the evening, the offerings are made to the setting Sun (Sandhya Arghya). The devotee prays for the well-being of their family and prosperity.

2. Breaking the Fast:

  • After the evening worship, the devotees break their fast by consuming the offerings. The rest of the family and community members may also partake in the prasad.

Day 3: Sandhya Arghya

1. Preparation of Prasad:

  • Ingredients: The prasad includes Thekua (a sweet made of wheat flour, jaggery, and ghee), fruits, sugarcane, coconut, and other seasonal fruits.
  • Preparation: All the items are prepared and kept in bamboo baskets or trays.

2. Procession to the Riverbank:

  • Carrying Prasad: In the afternoon, the family members carry the prasad and other offerings to the riverbank or any clean water body.
  • Setting Up: A temporary altar is set up on the riverbank, often decorated with flowers and lamps.

3. Evening Worship:

  • Sunset Arghya: As the sun sets, devotees stand in the water (up to the waist) and offer the prasad to the Sun God. This is done by holding the soop (a bamboo tray) with prasad while reciting prayers.

4. Lighting Lamps:

  • Diyas (earthen lamps) are lit and floated on the water as part of the worship. It symbolizes the light of knowledge and purity.

Day 4: Usha Arghya (Morning Arghya)

1. Early Morning Preparation:

  • Before Sunrise: The final day of Chhath Puja begins before sunrise. The devotees prepare themselves and the offerings for the last ritual.

2. Procession to the Riverbank:

  • Carrying Prasad: Similar to the evening before, the devotees carry the prasad to the riverbank.
  • Standing in Water: As the sun rises, the devotees stand in the water and offer the prasad to the rising Sun.

3. Offering Arghya:

  • Rising Sun Arghya: The devotees offer water, milk, and the prepared prasad to the rising Sun while praying for health, prosperity, and the well-being of their family.

4. Conclusion of Fast:

  • Breaking the Fast: After the Usha Arghya, the devotees break their fast by consuming the prasad and distributing it among family members, friends, and neighbors.

5. Return Home:

  • The devotees return home with the soop, prasad, and other items used during the puja, concluding the Chhath Puja rituals.

Post-Puja:

  • Cleaning Up: The place of worship is cleaned, and any remaining prasad is shared with family and the community.
  • Gratitude: Devotees express their gratitude to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya for their blessings.

This is a general guide to performing Chhath Puja, but specific practices and traditions may vary by region and community.