Nahai-Khai marks the beginning of Chhat Mahaparv

Kritika Tiwari,KORBA, Nov 05 2024.The four-day grand festival of Kartik Chhath began on Tuesday, with the ritual of Nahai-Khai. On the first day of this holy four-day grand festival of sun worship, Chhath devotees started the fast by taking bath pure and clean water of rivers and ponds. They took the resolution of Nahai-Khai for purification of the inner conscience. The devotees have cleaned the house and finished buying worship material for the fast. Chhath Puja Samitis and volunteers of various areas are busy cleaning and decorating the ghats for the Chhath devotees.

Today, on the second day of the great festival, after fasting the entire day without consuming food or water, the devotees will perform worship at sunset and after that eat kheer made with milk and jaggery. They shall eat only once and drink water till the moon is visible. After this they shall begin waterless fast of about 36 hours. On the third day, the fasting people offer the first arghya to the setting sun by standing in a river or pond. They shall offer arghya to the setting sun with fruits and roots and tubers.

On the fourth and last day of the festival, the devotees offer the second arghya to the rising sun in the rivers and ponds. Only after offering the second arghya to Sun, the 36-hour fast of the devotees will come to an end and they will eat food. This fast is observed for the happiness and prosperity of the family and the removal of troubles. It needs a mention that no priest (Pandit) is required to observe this festival and neither is there any need for chanting mantras.

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