Chhath Puja, the Hindu vedic festival, worshipping Lord Surya and Shashthi Devi also called Chhathi Maiya is celebrated 6 days after Diwali. This year it will be celebrated on November 10. The word Chhath means six in Hindi. The festival is celebrated prominently in Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, in some parts of Nepal and their diaspora.
Chhath puja spans for four days. Rituals include taking holy baths, fasting for 36 hours continuously, sometimes even without water, worshipping the sun and offering prasad which includes fruits, puris and kheer in the puja. An offering called 'arghya' is offered to Lord Surya on the evening of the first day and the morning of the second.
In some communities, once a person starts performing Chhath Puja, it is a must to perform it every year and should pass it on to the next generation. If a person skips it for one year, they cannot resume it again. It can only be skipped if there is a death in the family.
Today, as people across India are celebrating the day, social media websites are flooded with wishes and greeting.
Here's what people are saying. Have a look.
