Chhath Puja is one of those Indian festivals that really shows how faith and nature can go hand in hand. When the world is wondering about religion and taking care of the environment, Chhath is like an old, smart way to connect the two. It doesn’t focus on fancy statues or over-the-top traditions. Instead, it honors the simple things in nature—sunlight, water, and earth—reminding us that we need them to live and that they’re part of something bigger.
So, some might think, If you don’t believe in idol worship, would you be against Chhath Puja? But here’s the cool thing: Chhath Puja doesn’t have idols. It’s about worshiping the natural forces—the Sun, the first light of dawn, and the soft light of dusk. It’s a way for everyone to say thank you to the energy that keeps us all going.
The name Chhath comes from the Sanskrit word Shashthi, which means sixth. The festival is on the sixth day of the bright part of the Kartik month, usually around October or November. It comes right after Diwali, which is like moving from worshiping money to worshiping life and light.
The timing is on purpose. It’s after the harvest when farmers thank the sun for helping their crops grow. Chhath Puja is kind of like other old traditions that celebrate the seasons and how we depend on nature.
Even though it’s mostly celebrated in some parts of India and Nepal, Chhath has spread all over. People from those areas have moved to other places and brought the festival with them. Now you can see it in big cities and even in other countries.
What’s cool is that it’s not just about religion; it’s about connecting with nature. Anywhere you appreciate nature and see the sun rising over water, Chhath fits right in. It’s simple and focuses on light, water, and life, so anyone can join, no matter their background. Sometimes, even people from different religions join in because they like how pure and nature-friendly it is.
When some festivals get criticism for hurting the environment, Chhath Puja is a good example of being eco-friendly. There are no idols, fake decorations, or harmful stuff that pollutes rivers.
People offer natural things like sugarcane, coconuts, bananas, and sweets made from wheat and jaggery. They carry them in simple bamboo baskets. Even what they wear—usually plain cotton or silk—shows simplicity.
People who care about the environment celebrate Chhath because it brings together spirituality and nature. The rivers are respected, not polluted. The sun is seen as a source of energy, not just an idol. It’s a simple way to be spiritual and care for the environment.
The Sun is the main source of energy. Every bit of sunlight reminds us of how the universe and life are constantly talking to each other. In Hindu belief, the Sun is like the visible form of something divine, like the eye of the universe that sees everything.
During Chhath, people offer water and flowers to the sun as it sets and rises. This has meaning both in religion and in science. When the sun rises and sets, the sunlight is safest to soak up. Standing in the water and thinking about the sun can help you feel spiritually pure and balance your body.
Also, the way light and water work together is like photosynthesis, which is how plants make food. So, Chhath is not just a religious thing; it’s a way of recognizing how we survive and celebrating how everything in nature helps us live.
The Basket of Offerings: Symbols of Gratitude
The Chhath Puja basket (Daura or Soop) is a microcosm of India’s agrarian life. Each element placed within it is both symbolic and practical. The sugarcane, still in its peel, represents resilience and sweetness in life. The whole coconut, a fruit without decay, signifies completeness and purity. The Batabi lemon, radish, and banana stalk represent fertility, growth, and continuity.
The offering consists of Thekua, a handmade sweet made with wheat flour, jaggery, and ghee —no preservatives, baked in sunlight, and offered with devotion. A streak of orange vermilion (Sindoor) adorns the fruits, signifying life and sacred feminine energy. Together, these items form an agrarian altar of gratitude, thanksgiving to the forces that support life —sunlight, soil, and sweat.
The Feminine Energy and the Role of the ‘Vrati’
Women, also called ‘Vratis’, perform the ritual in most homes and undertake a rigorous fast of 36 hours without even water. The discipline, devotion, and endurance involved are extraordinary. The Vrati becomes the embodiment of Shakti, channeling divine energy through her body and will.
In Hindu thought, Usha (the first light of dawn) and Pratyusha (the last light of dusk) are feminine forces. They represent hope and renewal, the transition between darkness and light. Through their worship, women symbolically nurture the household’s wellbeing, fertility, and prosperity. Chhath thus becomes a festival where women are the central priests, where spirituality transcends patriarchal hierarchies.
Ritual Sequence: A Four-Day Journey of Purity
The festival is celebrated over four days, each day symbolizing the purification of body, mind, and environment.
- Nahay Khay – The first day marks purification. The devotees bathe in a river and prepare a simple, sattvic meal cooked on earthen stoves.
- Lohanda and Kharna – The second day: Fasting from sunrise to sunset, broken only after making a prasad offering of jaggery kheer and fruits to the Sun.
- Sandhya Arghya – On the third day, devotees offer the first Arghya to the setting sun, standing waist-deep in water while singing ancient Chhath songs.
- Usha Arghya: The last dawn is for offering ‘Arghya’ to the rising sun, symbolizing the renewal of energy, hope, and prosperity. After this, one breaks the fast, thus concluding the vow.
This cycle of fasting, purification, and offering reflects nature’s rhythm: contraction and expansion, darkness and light, rest and rejuvenation.
Philosophical Essence: Living with Nature, Not Against It
At its heart, Chhath Puja is a prayer to live in harmony with nature, not in dominance over it. The message of the festival is clear: humanity survives not by conquering the earth but by cooperating with it. Every element — the river, the sun, the soil — is sacred. The puja, thus, is an act of ecological surrender, an acknowledgment of interdependence.
In the words that echo through the ritual:
“We will live with nature, may the Sun God continuously bless us.”
It is a humble plea for balance, an acknowledgment that human civilization will prosper only when in tune with the laws of nature.
Conclusion: Chhath Puja — A Philosophy for the Future
While religious wars overshadow every shared heritage in the modern world, Chhath Puja stands as a unifying force. It asks for no temple walls, no idols, no expensive offerings — only faith, discipline, and gratitude. It bridges science and spirituality, ecology and devotion, reason and reverence. The essence of Chhath Puja lies not in ritual but in philosophy.
“As if I dedicate the blessings of the harvest given by you, to you — in respect, love, and gratitude.” Rooted in the soil and sustained by sunlight, this festival teaches a profound truth-that the highest form of worship is thankfulness, and the greatest temple is nature itself. In that sense, Chhath Puja is not merely a regional celebration; it is a timeless environmental manifesto written in the language of devotion.
Autumn’s Awakening- Akal Bodhan of Sri Rama for Ma Durga
Aritra Ghosh Dastidar
