Chhath Puja is a four-day festival that is dedicated to the worship of Surya Dev, popularly known as the Sun God. This year, the festivities for Chhath commencing on November 17 and conclude on November 20 as per Drik Panchang.
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School holidays in these states
In view of the festival, certain schools have declared holidays for two days. The days for Chhath Puja holidays are November 19 and November 20 this year. The states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Delhi have announced closure of schools on this occasion. The occasion of Chhath Puja is not listed in the list of Gazetted holidays, hence most schools use their own discretion for restricted holidays.
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Holidays in November
Guru Tegh Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day which falls on November 24 this year is a restricted holiday and Guru Nanak Jayanti which will fall on November 27 is a gazetted holiday.
Chhath Puja is an ancient Hindu festival and has its historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour specifically in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
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Rituals during the festival include offering prayers to the sun deity Surya during Chhath Puja to express gratitude for all the blessings in life. The festival of Chhath Puja is dedicated to the sister of Lord Surya, Chhathi Maiya and the sixth form of Devi Prakriti. The festival is celebrated on the sixth day of the lunar month of Kartika, or Vikram Samvat, six days after Deepavali according to Hindu calendar.
The four-day celebrations of Chhath Puja include holy bathing, fasting and water abstinence, standing in the water and offering prasad and arghya to the rising and setting sun. Devotees also undertake a march to riverbanks.
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Updated: 15 Nov 2023, 09:55 AM IST