Devotees across Bihar and several parts of India will observe ‘Kharna’ on Saturday, marking the second day of the four-day Chhath festival.
Worshippers observe a strict day-long fast on this auspicious occasion. They take a holy bath in the evening before performing sacred worship rituals.
The major festival of faith began on Friday with the traditional ‘Nahay-Khay’ ritual. Devotees honour the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya during this period.
For Kharna, worshippers prepare sacred offerings including jaggery-based ‘kheer’, ‘roti’, and traditional ‘prasad’. They maintain strict ritual purity while cooking this meal.
After offering the food to the deity, the ‘vrati’ consumes the prasad. They then distribute the sacred food among family members, neighbours, and visitors.
This ritual initiates a gruelling 36-hour ‘nirjala’ fast without food or water. Devotees maintain this fast through the main worship of the setting and rising Sun.
Chhath Puja inspires collective participation across families and local communities. Traditional folk songs resonate in homes right from the start of Nahay-Khay.
Family members work together to arrange fruits, bamboo baskets, and ceremonial items. Cleanliness and spiritual discipline remain central to every stage of the celebration.
On Friday, devotees took ritual baths in the Ganga and other sacred rivers. They wore clean clothes, believing the holy dip purifies both body and mind.
Worshippers prepared the traditional Nahay-Khay meal using non-parboiled rice, split Bengal gram, and pumpkin. Maintaining absolute hygiene during cooking remains paramount for every household.
Local markets across towns and villages are witnessing heavy crowds today. Shoppers actively purchase fruits, vegetables, ‘soop’, and ‘daura’ baskets for the upcoming rituals.
Rooted deeply in folk traditions, Chhath Puja emphasizes simplicity, devotion, and community bonding. Families continue their preparations with immense enthusiasm for the main offerings.
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