“Wherever we Indians live, we never forget our festivals”
Northampton:
The festival of Chhath is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm not only in Bihar, UP, Delhi etc. of India but also abroad. In Northampton, England, over 2000 devotees came together and performed Chhath Puja as a community. Here, 18 people are observing Chhath Vrat in a traditional manner together under the platform of Bihari Connect Society.
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Dr Yukteswar Kumar, former Deputy Mayor of Bath and Vice President of the Conservative Party, is also worshiping in Northampton this year. Dr. Yukteshwar Kumar is also very close to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. This is the first time in history that a senior politician of England has himself performed Chhath Puja. Talking to NDTV, Yukteshwar Kumar says that wherever we Indians live, we never forget our festivals. Happy Chhath Puja from all Indians living in England to all the countrymen… We also pray that the blessings of Chhath maya will spread a new light and happiness in the world.
The Chhath Puja festival lasts for four days. It starts on the third day of Bhaiya Dooj. The first day is called Nahay Khai. In this, the house is cleaned and purified, after which one goes to a nearby river or lake and bathes. On this day, rock salt, arava rice made with ghee and pumpkin vegetables are taken as prasad. The second day of Chhath festival is known as Kharana or Lokhanda. Fasters abstain from food and water throughout the day, make kheer from 7 pm onwards, take prasad after worship and on the third day offer arghya i.e. milk to the setting sun.
The third day of Chhath festival, known as Sandhya Arghya, is celebrated on Chaitra or Kartik Shukla Shasthi. The whole day everyone prepares for the pooja together. Special prasads like thekua, rice ladles (Kachvaniya) are made for Chhath Puja. For Chhath Puja, daura, pooja prasad and fruits are placed in a basket made of bamboo in Nakhi Devkari.
After offering pooja there in the evening, coconuts in soup, five kinds of fruits and other pooja materials are kept in the daura and the man of the house picks it up with his hands and carries it to the Chhath Ghat. To prevent it from becoming impure, it is kept above the head. Women always sing Chhath songs on their way to Chhath Ghat. An offering is made to the rising sun on the final day. Special attention is paid to sanctity in worship. Garlic and onions are prohibited, devotional songs are sung in houses where this pooja is performed.
Also Read:- Chhath Puja 2023: Offered arghya to the rising sun today, the ‘great festival’ of faith ends.