🌅 Chhath Puja (Surya Shashthi) Vrat Katha
The story
King Priyavrat and Queen Malini were childless. Through the yajna of Maharishi Kashyap the queen bore a son, but he was stillborn. As the grieving king went to give up his life, a goddess appeared from the sky — 'I am Shashthi Devi, mind-born daughter of Brahma, protector of children; worship me.' The king and queen worshipped her on Kartik Shukla Shashthi and the son came to life — since then Chhathi Maiya is worshipped.
The Ramayana story — after returning to Ayodhya, Rama and Sita kept the vrat of Surya Dev on Kartik Shukla Shashthi and offered arghya to the setting and rising sun on the bank of the Sarayu; Sita worshipped the sun for six days at the ashram of sage Mudgal. Hence Chhath is called 'Surya Shashthi'.
The Mahabharata story — Karna, son of Surya, stood waist-deep in water every day offering arghya to the sun and giving to those who asked; the tradition of sun-arghya in Bihar is linked to Karna, king of Anga (today's Bhagalpur-Munger). Draupadi too kept the Chhath vrat to win back the Pandavas' kingdom.
Why this katha — the significance
Chhath worships Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya (Shashthi Devi — the mind-born daughter of Brahma, protector of children). It is believed to be the most fruitful vrat for children's welfare, the family's health and good fortune — and it is one of the rare festivals in which arghya is offered to the setting sun too, that is, gratitude even in decline.
There is no priest, idol or temple in it — only water, the sun, bamboo soop and daura, an earthen stove, thekua of wheat-jaggery-ghee and folk songs. The rule of purity is strict: no garlic-onion for four days, a new stove, sleeping on the floor, hand-made prasad.
The dates above come from the engine — the Shashthi (evening arghya) from the panchang and the other three days relative to it; the Saptami dawn arghya is at the sunrise of your own city, so do check your city's sunrise on the panchang page (sunrise in Patna is about 35-40 minutes earlier than Delhi).
How the katha is heard
- Hear or read the katha after the puja, before the aarti — the whole family sits together.
- The one keeping the vrat should listen with a calm mind; keep a lamp lit and a little akshat-flowers in hand.
- At the end, offer the flowers at the deity's feet and bow; share the prasad with everyone.
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Frequently asked questions
When is Chhath Puja in {Y}?
The table of all four days is above — Nahay-Khay (Chaturthi), Kharna (Panchami), Sandhya Arghya (Shashthi) and Usha Arghya-Paran (Saptami); the Shashthi from panchang calculations, the other three relative to it.
What are the Chhath arghya timings?
The evening arghya at sunset on Shashthi and the dawn arghya at sunrise on Saptami — the Delhi times are above. In Patna sunrise and sunset are about 35-40 minutes earlier than Delhi, in Lucknow 15-20 minutes earlier, in Mumbai 25-30 minutes later — see your city's time on the panchang page.
Who is Chhathi Maiya?
Shashthi Devi — regarded as the mind-born daughter of Brahma and sister of Surya Dev; the goddess who protects children. Chhath worships both Surya and Chhathi Maiya.
Can men keep the Chhath vrat?
Yes — both women and men are vratis in Chhath; many men in Bihar are parvaits. The rule of vow and purity is the same for all.
Why arghya to the setting sun?
Chhath is one of the few festivals where the setting sun is also worshipped — it teaches gratitude even in decline; the evening arghya is held to be for Pratyusha and the morning arghya for Usha, the consorts of the sun.
How is thekua made?
Wheat flour, melted jaggery, a ghee moyan, fennel and coconut kneaded stiff, pressed in a wooden mould and fried golden in ghee on a low flame — quantities are in the bhog section above. Not market flour but flour washed, dried and ground at home.
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