Chhath Puja 2021 Aragh: Sunrise and Sunset time| Everything you need to know – India Today

Chhath Puja is one of the most auspicious and important Hindu festivals celebrated mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh. The four-day long festival starts from Nahay Khay, followed by Kharna, Sandhya Arghya and Usha Arghya. This year, the festivities of Chhath Puja began from November 8 and will end on November 11.

Devotees keep a 36-hour long nirjala fast, starting from Kharna, take a holy dip in the Ganges and go to the river banks and ghats to make offerings to the Sun. Celebrated on the Sashti Tithi of Karthik, Shukla Paksha, Chhath is an ancient Vedic festival, performed in reverence to the Sun and is dedicated to Surya Bhagwan (Lord Sun). The devotees observe a four-day-long ceremony to worship the Sun God, which is seen as a symbol of 'One God' and it sustains life on earth.

For ages, the Sun is believed to be the ultimate source of energy and even today, scientists agree with this. According to Hindu mythology, the Sun is known to help cure a variety of diseases such as leprosy and ensure longevity of life.

The devotees seek the blessings of Surya Bhagwan, request them to grant their wishes and pray for their well being, progress and prosperity. The rays of the Sun are extremely important for the existence of human life and, as per the holy text of Atharaveda, the Sun is also believed to destroy death and disease.

The symbol of the Sun represents the King and it is also believed that Lord Rama and Sita had observed a fast during their coronation ceremony after returning to Ayodhya, spending 14 years in exile.

Apart from this, in the Mahabharata, Draupadi is also known to have observed the rituals of the Chhath Puja after noble sage Dhaumya advised her to do so. Since the Sun is a symbol that represents a leader/authority, the Chhath Puja also helped the Pandavas to regain their lost kingdom.

Devotees of the Chhath Puja offer Arghya in a water body and believe that doing this without taking any solid or liquid diet can absorb the Sun's energy into their bodies. The devotees stand in a water body with half the body submerged in the water and perform the puja offering (Arghya).

The process minimises the leak of energy. As per the belief, when Arghya is offered to the Sun, it helps the physic energy to flow up the psychic channel in the spine. This in turn helps the human body become a channel that recycles, conducts and transmits energy in the entire universe. The solar religion of the Vedas says that the Sun is the atma (soul) that dwells in the hearts of all beings.

Sandhya Arghya: On the third day of the Chhath Puja, devotees offer Sandhya Arghya and observe a day-long fast and break it only on the following day after the sunrise. Chhati Maiya, the Sun God and his consorts Usha(Goddess of Dawn) and Pratyusha (Goddess of Dusk) are worshipped on the Chhath Puja Day.

This year, the sunrise and sunset timings for Sandhya Arghya are 6.40 AM and 5.30 PM, respectively.

Usha Arghya: On the fourth and final day, devotees, who observe the vrat, break their fast on Saptami Tithi. They offer prayers and water to the Sun God and seek the blessings of Surya Bhagwan for well being.

For the Usha Arghya, the sunrise time is 6.41 AM and the sunset time is 5.29 PM this year.

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Chhath Puja 2021 Aragh: Sunrise and Sunset time| Everything you need to know - India Today