Importance and Celebration
Surya Shasthi Vrata is one of the
most awaited holy days as lakhs of devotees offer prayers to the Sun god. Being
immensely popular in North India as well as Eastern India, in Bihar this vrata
is celebrated as a three-day festival. Popularly known as the ‘Dala Chhat’ or
‘Chhat Puja’, it begins on Kartika Shukla Chaturthi and ends on Kartika Shukla
Shashti. Unlike any other Indian festival, devotees pray to both the setting as
well as the rising sun.
According to the Skanda Purana, a
devotee should eat food prepared with salt once-a-day on Kartika Shukla
Chaturthi. On Shasti, they need to observe a ‘nirjala’ fast. As per traditions, the devotee then goes to the bank
of a river while the sun is setting, lights a lamp and worships the Sun god by
offering flowers, fruits and ‘naivedya’.
Red sandalwood paste and red flowers too form an important part of the
offerings to the Surya dev. The worshipper then takes pure water from the river
in a copper vessel, adds red vermilion (Kunkuma),
flowers and unbroken grains of rice (Akshate)
to it and offers this to the Sun god. Additionally, the devotees need to stay
awake the whole night as they need to go to the river bank next morning to
offer special prayers known as Arghya
to the rising sun and then bathe. This marks the end of the Chhat Vrata.
Sweet made from the mixture of whole wheat flour and jaggery is offered. It is said that by worshipping the Sun god, all desires of a person are granted. Couples who wish to have a son also observe this fast.