Chhatha Puja, Surya Shashti or Surya Chhatha Parva is a four-day long auspicious festival. Chhatha Puja is observed in honor of Sun God, the Lord of energy, power, and life. People keep Vrat, perform Puja for the progress, health, career, prosperity, and success of self and progeny.
It is observed in Bihar, Nepal and some parts of eastern India with great enthusiasm and devotion.
Chhatha Puja which begins on Chaturthi is a four-day festival, Nahay Khay, Lohanda and Kharna, Dala Chhatha, the fourth and the last day is called Paran day. Chhatha Puja or Chhatha Parva is celebrated twice, in Chaitra and Kartik Month.
Chaitra month, Chhatha Puja, the first Surya Chhatha Parva
The first Surya Chhatha Parva is known as Chaitra Chhatha, Chaiti Chhatha Puja, Yamuna Chhatha/ Katyayani Puja. It is also known as Yamuna Jayanti, will be celebrated in Shukla Paksha in the lunar month of Chaitra.
Its first Arghya will be observed with the rising sun on Thursday, April 11, 2020. Chaitra Shashti or Chhatha begins at 3:35 PM on April 10, 2020, so 1st Arghya of Chhatha Puja is observed on 11th April 2020.
Tuesday, 9 April, Chhatha Puja 1st day: Nahai Khai.
Wednesday, 10 April, Chhatha Puja 2nd day: Lohanda Kharna, Vrat is kept without taking water.
Thursday, 11 April, Chhatha Puja 3rd day: Sandhya Arghya(in the evening).
Friday, 12 April, Chaitra Shukla Saptami( till 1:23 PM) Chhatha Puja 4th day: Suryodaya Arghya, Paran Day.
Kartik month, Chhatha Puja/ Surya Shashthi/ Dala Chhatha, the second Surya Chhatha Parva
Chhatha Mahaparv or the second Surya Chhatha Parva is celebrated after Diwali in the Shukla Paksha, of Kartik month, based on the lunar calendar (Amavashyanta). This second Surya Chhatha Parva or Chhatha Puja begins with the first Arghya will be observed on Thursday, Kartik Krishna Paksha Chaturthi, November 18, 2020, this year.
Each day of this four day long Chhatha Puja festival has a different significance.
Chhath Puja 2020: 18 November, Wednesday, 1st day, Chaturthi, Nahay Khay
19 November, Thursday, 2nd day- Panchami, Lohanda, and Kharana.
20 November, Friday, 3rd day-Shashti, Chhath Puja, Sandhya Arghya
21 November, Saturday, 4th, and last day of Puja-Saptami, Usha Arghya, Paran day.
Events for Chhatha Puja or Surya Chhatha Parva, 2020
The method for the four events for the second Surya Shashti or Surya Chhatha Puja, which is celebrated in the month of Kartik, are as follows:
1) The first day is observed on Chaturthi, especially by ladies folk, known as Nahay Khay or Nahai Khai by taking bath in the river, preparing Prasad for lord sun offering Arghya to the rising sun and eating only once on that day.
This event will be on Thursday, 31st October 2020.
2) The second day is observed on Panchami is known as Lohanda and Kharna means purifying. This fast is kept without taking even a drop of water, the fast is ended only after the sunset by offering fruits and food (Bhog) to the sun.
This event happens on Friday, 1st November 2020.
3) The third day is also known as Dala Chhatha or Surya Shashti. It is observed on Kartik Surya Shashti called Sandhya Arghya by keeping day and night fast, worshiping and offering fruits and Arghya to the setting Sun in the evening.
This event will be on Saturday, 2nd November 2020
4) The fourth day and the last day is observed on Saptami. It is known as Usha Arghya or Chhatha Paran day of Puja, ends after thirty-six hour fast by offering Arghya to the rising sun.
This will be observed on Sunday, 3rd November 2019 in the morning as Paran Day.
Paran means the end, Paran day of Puja means last day of Puja.
