काठमाडौँको कमलपोखरीमा छठ ब्रतालुहरू उदाउँदो सूर्यलाई मङ्गलबार बिहान अर्घ दिँदै । तस्बिर : तस्बिर :हरिराम भेटुवाल / रासस
The Chhath festival concluded this year with devotees offering Arghya to the rising sun on Tuesday morning. People from the Mithila region observed the sacred ritual by sitting along riverbanks and worshipping the Sun God with devotion, offering cow’s milk, flowers, and holy water.
The four-day-long Chhath festival begins on Kartik Shukla Chaturthi with the ritual known as Nahay Khay. It concludes on Saptami with the morning offering to the rising sun, known as Usha Arghya. Earlier, on the evening of Shashthi, devotees had offered Sandhya Arghya (evening prayers) to the setting sun.
According to Jeevesh Jha, author of The Spirit of Chhath Festival, the evening offering is called Sandhya Arghya, while the morning offering is known as Usha Arghya. He explains that it is believed observing the Chhath fast and worshipping the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya brings blessings of good health, cures skin diseases, ensures the well-being and longevity of family members, and grants offspring to those seeking children.
Chhath is also celebrated in the month of Chaitra, but the Chhath that falls in Kartik is considered more significant. With the migration of people from the Mithila region, the festival is now celebrated with great enthusiasm not only in Mithilanchal but also in Kathmandu Valley and many other parts of Nepal.
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