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The chhat pooja, dedicated to Chhatti Mai (Goddess of Power) is a festival held in high esteem, particularly, by the people of Nepal’s Eastern Terai bordering India’s eastern Bihar province. It is also celebrated in Kathmandu. The Festival, it is said, originated somewhere near Patilputra (Present day patna- the capital city of India’s Bihar Province) during the Magadha Era. The Chhat festival, in which the sun is worshipped for power, remained confined to Bihar’s Patna province and gradually gained faithhood in Nepali soli across the border, mainly in Eastern Nepal. However it has reached several other regions of the country now, including the Western Terai of the Nepal. In Hinduism, Devi or deities are usually revered as Mai. Mai is synonymous to Mother. There may be hundred of thousands of Mai or the source of power in Hindu theology. In other words, in every couple of Kilometers’ distance, the inhabitants worship the Goddess of Power inder a varieties of names. The worshipping of the rising Sun in Knee-deep water of Ganga, at the dawn, and the setting Sun, at dusk, with buckets of fresh fruits, sweet bread varieties, dry fruits, sugar canes etc. has both scientific and spiritual basis, say the Pundits. The objective of the festival, observed by the following rigorous rituals, is to achieve the purgation of mind and body. In other words, the goal is to achieve purity, both physically and mentally. The festival is exclusively observed by women. Males can offer helping hand but they often only watch. There is also a sort of transcendental belief among men and women that Chhat brata (fasting and pooja), if observed in purity, will fulfill ones wishes. Even from scientific point of view, threr seems enough logic in the argument that is purity is attained through Chhat pooja.
Ritual: The entire process begins with a ritual known as Kharna the first day of the two days long festival chath. On this day, women clean the kitchen or choose a sacred place for cooking satwik bhojan (bread and milk). Women usually, after bathing in river purify themselves and gather at a river-side place. In the evening, they eat, sing and dance. This day virtyally is a preparation day for the brata (fasting) which shall be observed in subsequent days. The next morning, their fast begins. Right from the morning, they get into the task of preparing food stuffs to offer to Chatti Mai. Thakuwa (mixture of flour, sugar, and raisin) kind of cake, not baked but fried in pure ghee (refined butter), remains the chief item of food variety offere to Chatti Mai. This apart, pieces of sugar cane, sugar cube, dry fruits like cashew nuts, raisins, plumps, apricots, fresh fruits, bananas, apples, oranges etc. are placed in number of baskets in preparation of pooja. The whole day is usually spent in preparation of the worshipping of Chatti mai. In the evening, at the dusk, the basket full of worshipping materials are rushed to the bank of Ganges or rivers, near by. Here, the women going knee-deep in water, covering their bodies with a piece of sanctified clothe, pray to Chatti mai setting the fading Sun. They offer argha (water and Prasad) to the Sun in a praying posture. The basket full of pooja materials are touched in river and shown to the Sun. After the process is completed, the women is knee-deep water take of couple of the dips in water and come out. They replace their wet clothes with the sanctified ones. They spend the whole day fasting. On the third day morning, agiain, the whole pooja stuffs are transported to the river. Here, at dawn, the women again go knee-deep in praying to the rising sun, this time. After the process is repeated, the pooja is over. Then, the women distribute the Prasad (the food stuffs offere to the sun) among men and women attending the ceremony. They return home where the family members and relatives and neighbors gather and receive tika and Prasad of Chatti Mai. Thus, after completing the whole rituals, the women break their fast. The Pooja Chhat falls immediately after Deepawali or Laxi Pooja. The festival widely celebrated in the Nepal’s Eastern Terai remains the most popular festival of the region. With the festival goes the belief that the Chatti Mai worshipped in piety will relieve the people from sufferings. Many take Chatta brata (fasting) to materialize their aspirations. Want share any thing regarding chhat festival? Join our Nepal Travel Forum and know more about the other festivals of Nepal
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Festivals in Nepal 
