Women perfoming religious rituals during Chhath Puja on the banks of River Yamuna in Delhi.

Chhath Puja is a festival mainly celebrated especially in Bihar, dedicated to the sun god. It is a kind of thanksgiving to the sun god or Surya Dev. However Chhath is possibly the only festival in India where the setting sun is worshipped. The sun is thanked for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and the setting sun is celebrated symbolizing the cycle of birth which starts with death, according to the Hindu religion.

The festival of Chhath is not essentially a celebration but more of a ritual carried down from generations. The festival is celebrated twice a year, once in March (called Chaiti Chhath), after the festival of Holi and then in November(called Kartik Chhath), after the festival of Diwali. Kartik Chhath in November is generally celebrated with more vigor as compared to Chaiti Chhath.

Source: http://www.rang7.com/chhath-puja

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