Javadekar, Naqvi greet people on Chhath Puja
TNN Bureau. Updated: 11/20/2020 11:05:52 AM
National
New Delhi, Nov 20: Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar and Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday greeted the people on the occasion of Chhath Puja.
The four-day festival, that started on November 18, will conclude on Saturday with devotees offering their prayers to the rising Sun.
Mr Javadekar tweeted, "Hearty greetings to all of you on the auspicious occasion of Mahaparva Chhath Puja of Surya worship."
"Hearty greetings to all of you on the auspicious occasion of Chhath Puja Mahaparva," wrote Mr Naqvi.
Today is the third day of Chhath Mahaparva. Arghya (offerings) will be made to the setting Sun this evening. It is called 'Sandhya Arghya'. While the offerings to the rising Sun are made in many fasts and festivals, but it only during Chhath that the setting sun is worshipped.
Chhath is an ancient Hindu Vedic festival historically native to the Indian subcontinent, more specifically, the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh and the Madhesh region of Nepal. The Chhath Puja is dedicated to the solar deity Surya and Shashthi devi (Chhathi Maiya) in order to thank them for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes.
The festival does not involve idolatry and is dedicated to worship the Chhathi Maiya (Shashthi Mata) and sun God Surya along with his consorts Usha and Pratyusha the Vedic Goddess of Dawn and Dusk respectively. It is believed that the main sources of Sun's powers are his wives Usha and Pratyusha.