Chhat Festival Goes Global

Chhath festival globalised Chhath festival, a festival to worship God Sun has been globalised now. Initially, this festival was parochial and localized and it was celebrated in eastern parts of India especially in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh only, but thanks to media, especially electronic media, this festival got wide coverage and now has transformed into an all India affair. News of the celebration of Chhath also comes from abroad like UK and USA and host of African, South Asian and European countries. As far as story of its origin is concerned, according to Hindu Mythology, this festival was started during Mahabharata by Draupadi, the 1

wife of Pandavas during the period in exile. It is said that when Kauravas hatched conspiracy to kill Pandavas in the house of lac, Pandavas somehow survived. They had to escape into jungles to save their lives. They had to undergo unprecedented hardships in jungles. During the period, Arjun, the great archer, won Draupadi in a swayamvar. Draupadi wanted to mitigate woes of her family therefore she performed worship to god sun. it is said that this is how this festival marked the beginning. There is another popular belief that Chhath worship was started by the great warrior Karna, the son of Lord Surya, the sun and Kunti.

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Initially this festival was localized and in anthropological terms it is known as parochial form or PAROCHIALIZATION. Gradually especially with the advent of private electronic news channels, this festival proliferated horizontally across the country. Now metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi also celebrate this festival with unprecedented fervors and gaiety. The occasion is also marked by political blending also and political persons and parties organize and provide facilities in order to attract people in their political fold. The reports coming out in the press suggest that now this festival is being celebrated throughout the length and breadth of the country baring some exceptions. In anthropology, this 3

expansion is called UNIVERSALIZATION. Some people celebrate this festival in England and in other parts of Europe also. In south Asian and south-eastern countries, the celebration of this festival is very common. Chhath literally means 6(six). It is perhaps therefore it is celebrated six days after the Diwali, the festival of lights. Some people related to religious denominations say that this is the only festival in India in which setting sun is worshiped. Cleanliness is very important in this festival and in fact the whole city witness unfrequented cleanliness drive organized by community. The environment gets surcharged with religious fervor in such a way that 4

even police admits that crime graph during chhath festival goes surprisingly down. The devotees who are generally female, observe fasting of 36 hours and during this period she along with other members of families perform ARYA, offering, to GOD SUN both when it is rising and setting. Milk, water of holy river Ganges and fruits etc are offered during the rituals. It is a community festival and therefore many other people unknown and unconnected to family are also allowed to participate and offer to the sun god in this ritual. With passage of time, the festival has also got blended with market forces. The readymade items for this festival are flooded in the market and huge 5

hoardings and other advertisement materials are conspicuously displayed. The country made earthen hearth and pots, hand made SUPS, a bamboo made flattened item used for keeping fruits etc during offering to the sun etc have been replaced by factory made items. But even then, what is not replaced is the zeal and religious fervor in this festival.

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