The noteworthy festival of the Chhath puja is dedicated to the Chhathi Maiya, known as Goddess of Power and is celebrated with great fervor and zest. During the celebration of four days the god of life, the sun is worshipped as the Goddess of power (Shashti Maa). Chhath puja falls immediately after the 5-day long celebration of Diwali festival.
It is believed that Chhath Parv had been originated near Patliputra during the Magadha era, presently known as the capital city of Bihar, i.e., Patna. With time when the people of Bihar have migrated in other states as well, the festivity has outgrown to other states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nepal, and Kathmandu.
In Hinduism, Devi or deities are usually revered as Maa which is a synonym of the mother. On the Shashti tithi, goddess Usha, wife of lord sun is worshipped. Indian people are very traditional from the heart. They celebrate each and every festival with purity and wholeheartedly. They believe, whatever happens, happens with the will of God and Goddess. For pleasing almighty god and goddess and seeking blessings, they perform every festival.
Devotees worship the rising Sun in Knee-deep water of Ganga, at the sunrise, and the setting Sun, at dusk, with buckets of fresh fruits, sweets, dry fruits, sugar canes, jaggery, kheer, puri, and rice, etc. The main objective of the festival is to achieve the cleaning of mind and body. In other words, the aim is subjected to attain purity, both mentally and physically.
The Chhath puja is mainly performed by women of northern India. Men mainly take a dip in holy rivers and offer Argha and prayers to lord sun. It is said Chhath Mata fulfills the wishes of every devotee if one performs the fast and all the rituals associated with Chhath puja with great concern.The entire worshipping begins with a ritual known as Nhaye Khay where women clean the kitchen or choose a sacred place for cooking Satwik Bhojan.
The next morning, their fast begins. Right from the morning, women get into the task of preparing food item to please Chatti Maiya. Thakuwa ( the mixture of flour, sugar, and raisin) kind of cake is fried in pure ghee (refined butter), remains the chief item of food variety offered to Chatti Mai. apart from this, pieces of sugar cane, sugar cube, dry fruits like cashew nuts, raisin, apricots, and fresh fruits; bananas, pomegranate, oranges etc. are placed in the number of baskets or thali for the preparation of puja. The whole day is usually spent in preparation of the worshipping of Chatti Mai. in the evening, the prepared basket is taken to the holy river banks by the devotees. Taking the dip in holy water and giving Argha, the prepared food is shown to the sun and touched in the river for giving bhog. On the third day morning, again, the whole pooja item is taken to the river and 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 meal offered to the sun) among people present there. On the fourth day, women break their fast by giving Argha to rising sun.
The most popular festival of the Bihar region is widely celebrated in the Nepal’s eastern Terai. With the festival goes the belief that the Chatti Mai worshipped in piety will relieve the people from sufferings. Many observe Chhath puja to have the baby.