A devotee prays to the Sun God with her child during the Chhath Puja celebrations in Kolkata. PIC/ PTI
Chhath Puja is a four-day-long festival dedicated to the worship of the Sun God and his consorts Usha and Pratyusha, symbolising the light of the rising and setting sun
Devotees observe a rigorous fast—often without water—and offer prayers while standing in water bodies
The main rituals begin on the sixth day (Shashthi) of the Kartik Shukla Paksha, the waxing phase of the moon in the month of Kartik
Some believe Chhath Puja dates back to the era when humans first began worshipping nature, as even the Rig Veda describes rituals devoted to the Sun
ADVERTISEMENT
