Chhath Puja: Festival of the Sun God, the most important festival of Bihar

What is Chhat?

The word Chhat means the number 6. As the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu month Kartik (October – November), the festival is referred as Chhat Puja. The festival of Chhat falls a week after Diwali. In Bihar, Dala Chhat is celebrated for four days. On Chhath Puja, Surya dev (Sun God) is worshipped.


Chhat Puja is dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun) and Lord Kartikeya or Skanda.
People undertake Chhat fasting for the well being of the family. It is believed that people get their wishes fulfilled, if they observe Chhat Vrat.
Chatth fast is mainly observed by women but in many regions men and children also join in the ritual and observe fast.


The first day of Chhat is known as Nahai Khai


The first day of Chhath is dedicated to cleaning, preparation and purification. The house and surroundings are scrupulously cleaned. Thousands of devotees have an early morning bath in Ganga River or in a nearby water body on the day. The main food cooked on the day is rice, chana dal (Gram pulse), and green gourd (lauki) after bath and hence, it is called Nahai Khai, literally meaning meal after bath. The Vrati (devotee) allows herself/himself only one meal on this day. The devotee observing the Chhath fast is known as Vrati. Lauki is an important preparation on the day and, therefore, the cooking and the day is also referred as Lauki Bhat
Vegetarian food is preferred during the period of vrat. Garlic and onions are avoided.The freshly prepared food is considered as ‘prasad’ or offerings to Sun God.

 The second day is known as Kharna
 
Fast or Upvaas begins on the second day and this is referred as Kharna. The fast is broken after performing a puja at home in the evening. Kheer, sweets and fruits are offered to deities and then the whole family shares the prasad. Another round of fasting begins after the prasad is shared. This fast is usually broken on the fourth day morning.


On the third day in the evening (most important day)


Devotees offer ‘argh’ to setting sun (Lord Surya) along with ‘soop’ at a pond or river bank. ‘Argh’ and ‘soop’ are offerings and consists of flowers, fruits, sprouted grains, dry coconut, sugarcane, white radish, sweets and khajurees. The offering is made to Sun by standing in knee-deep water and is known as Chhat Sandhya Argh.
In the evening pujas are performed at home and a special puja is done for Agni – fire god. This puja is performed in a special area cordoned off by four sugarcane sticks.
 
On the fourth day morning,
 
Devotees repeat the rituals performed on the third day evening for rising sun and this is known as Chhat Sooryodaya Argh. What is left after offering to the Sun God is shared as prasad and the Chhat Puja comes to an end.

The Festivities and the Rituals:
 

Chhath is a festival of great reverence and fervour. All the people dress up in their best and new clothes are a must for the Vrati. Clothes have to be unstitched and Vrati sleeps on the floor.
Loud and devotional music reverberates in the air, purifying the whole atmosphere. Folk songs are sung both at home and on the riverbank. Millions of people throng the banks of river Ganges.
The streets are kept spotlessly clean by bands of volunteers, who also decorate all streets leading to the river with colorful festoons, ribbons, and banners.
The offerings of deep fried and sweet rolls of stone ground wheat flour, grapefruit, whole coconuts, bananas, and grains of lentils are also very peculiar. These items are contained in small, semicircular pans woven out of bamboo strips.
Strict salt-less vegetarian menu is observed (even onions and garlic are considered unwanted during the entire festival period), all earthen vessels are reserved for the period only and all possible purity of food is adhered to.
Once a devotee takes up the Vrati responsibility she/he continues to perform the rituals annually without any break and stops only when she/he has identified a person capable of continuing the tradition. She/he then passes the tradition to the person usually from younger generation.
A Vrati skips the annual Puja only in the event of a death in the family.

I hate politics......

I know this is crazy, but at the moment I hate politics. How does one person, one person know how to rule a country? I know people will say it’s not one person, it’s a whole community of people, when in the end it’s up to just one person, ever sat down to a democratic meeting, or what we call democratic. They all are just a huge bunch of guys who want to keep power in their hands for as long as possible, because power helps them earn money. Which they need again to hold power right along.

 It’s like wild animals hunting for their food. It’s like eagles swooping for their food, it’s like a thousand ants jumping at one piece of food. We ask for politicians to rule our country so they can help rule our life (they do rule our life, they comeup with the rules, don’t they?). I’ve had enough, I’ve had enough, I hate politics. Politicians are something to be anihilated from the Earth. What the hell does a “professional politician” term mean? I thought politicians are meant to be ordinary people whom we pay money to, so that they can devote their time to managing our country’s processes. But they become “professional politicians”. Guess it, a guy is not a professional manager, administrator or even theoretic. He is a professional politician. That probably means he earns quite a pile of money for just bla-bla-blabbing on TV and building up his personal image.

I hate them, I hate them, I hate them. Everywhere I seem to look we have politics making our decisions for us. No I’ve had enough! And I just wanted to have my say on what I hate and that would be it.

A Letter from "Mom and Dad" 2 there child...

My child,

When I get old, I hope you understand... 'n have patience with me
In case I break the plate, or spill soup on the table because I’m losing my eyesight,
I hope you don’t yell at me.
Older people are sensitive, always having self pity when you yell.
When my hearing gets worse 'n I can’t
hear what you’re saying, I hope you
don’t call me ‘Deaf!’
Please repeat what you said or write it
down.

I’m sorry, my child.
I’m getting older.
When my knees get weaker, I hope you have the patience to help me get up.
Like how I used to help you while you
were little, learning how to walk. Please bear with me, when I keep
repeating myself like a broken record, I hope you just keep listening to me.
I hope you have the patience to take
care of me during the last few moments
of my life.

My Special Best Friend My Mom

“Who is your best friend?” no doubt, my answer for this question is my mom. She is so considerate and generous that I admire her and realize her as my best friend. She taught me how to be a nice person since I was a little girl. She comforted me and helped me solve problems as I was in trouble. She encouraged me when I hesitated. So that she is my first teacher who tught me a lot of things and also my best friend who supports me all the time.

My mom is my first teacher who taught me a lof of things. She taught me the first word as I was learning how to speak. She told me fairy tales and significant stories which helped me know more and better about this world. She taught me to be a generous and kind person but not selfish. She taught me what I should do and what I shouldn’t. Even when I was naughty and made many troubles, she would just point my faults patiently.

I realize my mom as my best friend. She solves my troubles with me and guides me to brightness. She comfortes me as I am sad for having quarrel with others. She is always patient to listen to me and then tell me what I did wrong. Not only that, she also supports me and encourages me so that I won’t give in easily.

I admire my mom, she taught me a lot as a teacher, she supports me as my best friend. She not only takes care of her family very well but also is a successful business woman. I’m so pround to have her as my mom. I admire her and respect her and also appreciate for what she did for me. I love my mom forever!

my lovely family

The FIrst CRUSH!

The FIrst CRUSH!

                Well,  as I was talking about Teen issues and stuff I would like to start my today’s topic with 'CRUSHES'. I know the next stage in life i was going to discuss about was Adulthood... but what the heck, it can wait as this is one thing which needs more lime light according to me.  In a teen agers lifetime he or she always faces this situation where they start liking a person with unmatchable bounds of love, they start imagining themselves with this loved one, Hand in hand, walking in the meadows, they even plan the names of their kids, where they are going to live, and what not crap, BUT! all this remains uncertain as they hardly gathering up enough courage to go and approach this person and convey their feelings to them. Only a select few spill the beans to their beloved, rest i guess stay happy with their so called imaginary lovers in their dreams as they dread getting no as an answer to their proposal. This no {according to me} is as Devastating as the END OF THE WORLD!, to them of-course.                   If all they do gather enough courage other thoughts start evading our minds such as, "What if she likes someone else?", "What if she has a Boy friend?", "What if she stops talking to me after this?" and due to all these "what if's" the poor guy or gal again suffers a nervous breakdown{of a small kind} and ends up running back to his burrow. And yet again they end up confining their relationships with their loved ones to just their dreams. Never knowing what the answer on the other side would have been.                   But i dont say this happens to everyone, some apply the "Nike" motto to their lives and "just do it". Now everyone has their own way of proposing their beloved, some do it on their birthdays as in most cases as they feel the reply from the opposite person cannot be negative as its their birthday, what happens next cannot be predicted as the chances remain 50-50. Other than this situations such as friendly outings, School Farewells, late night phone calls and the most stupid of them all text messages and social networking sites prove to be as a perfect stage for carrying out these great deeds. Till now the discussion has been only about the proposal. Well now comes the next part{n according to me the more off important one}. THE REPLY!                   Well now i know that this part is all "mirch- masala" according to us but normally in 90% cases the reply is never given at the time of proposal, the girl normally asks for some time, as in days or weeks at times, which is said to be the most crucial time for the guys. Because if its going to be a yes then 'life is set BOSS!' but if its a no then its all tears for girls and BOOZE for boys. One never like to imagine that the latter might occur but anxiety does make us think otherwise. though we never might accept it. In this period boys normally keep on messaging romantic stuff to girls to express that they truly love them. Girls on the other hand are in two minds if they do not know this person well and have second thoughts about the relationship. This activity is carried out continually till the day arrives. The day of the decision. JUDGEMENT DAY!                   Judgement day is by far the most dreaded day for teen agers, as it is, on this very day and date their fate is gonna be written, a day which is going to decide weather or not this person is gonna be theirs forever and after or NOT!. When this day arrives guys are normally too nervous go know about the decision and take the support of a friend who provides then emotional backing just incase its gonna be a no on the other side. the probability of a yes or a no are no more of ne value as the only response they expect is a YES!. And if it does turn out to be that way there are no bounds to happiness to that of the boy. Rest as we know is happily ever after. {im sorry i fail to provide the viewpoints of a gal as it dunno much about them}. But if its a no, the guy normally detaches himself from everyone for sometime, starts prefers solitude and listens to sad songs. He loses all interest in current affairs going in and around him and starts thinking over and over again about what went wrong. this goes on for some more time and as time heals everything he comes back to normal. But in his free time he is always reminded that once he like a girl and but he could never make her his....



{pleas comment, the above passage is from a boys point of view, i m sorry i could not do justice to how a girl thinks about such occurrences, i would be more than happy to post a girls point of view if helped.. please comment with your views}
...........................By Sadanad niranjan shenoy................................

Was it impossible?... i dont think so :)

Was it impossible?... i dont think so :)

      

            An old saying always bothered me,"once a loner, always a loner", but that day i was too sober to think otherwise, i always noticed my friends cribbing about their gal/boy friend, crying their eyes out when things didn't go well and laughing their asses out sarcastically when they would see their ex's with other major screw up bf's {they were always referred to as not better then them :P }, anyways i would always look back upon my "great friends" with pity and disgust when they would go through this phase at times but deep down i too was suffering, suffering form loneliness and an aching, or rather a craving for a better half, i would always put forth a concrete image to stand out from the crowd.... little did i know that soon things were about to change

          It started a year ago, i had recently been through a major disaster in life, and as usual had done my best to do better{failing to succeed}, by then i needed a diversion "real bad", she was a common friend in front of whom i always made it a point to make my presence felt but being a green horn in flirting sure made me look more like a lunatic back then, at a point of time i had almost mounted enough courage to talk to her politely but the moment i opened my mouth it became a disaster, the situation was two of my dear friends would always  meet up at a common hangout where we would always be there along with them to make a diversion if at all some similar face pops out of the blue, we would decoy the situation escorting the two to safety, that is all thanks too narrow minded Indian mentality!, which i wont completely blame was i able to come across her coz of it, aah.. yaa the incident- well as the two love birds wanted to talk something privately, hence i thought it would be a better idea too just give then some space, thinking so i acted and ended up quoting- "lets give them a while, why don't we hang out for a while till they are done"... in my mind theses words seemed to perfectly fit into the moment but out in the open it seemed to me as if i was a step away from america dropping a mini atomic bomb on my head instead of Hiroshima Nagasaki, anyways that moment passed away with me embarrassing myself and Ms "a" getting a heads on lead about my devilish intentions .

          The forthcoming day as i opened my Facebook account i came across a similar face, "ms.a" was on Facebook!!,,, the very next moment i sent her a friend request which was duly accepted withing the next few hours, though i couldn't catch her online for the next week of soo i always hoped that something would happen so i could break the ice and tell her, but doing soo at that moment would mite as well tag me as a desperate person with no good intentions.... anyways a week passed by and we had by then started chatting casually, i found myself really into her.... she was quiet a unique kind of a person who maintained quiet a balance between being a normal person and an extrovert.... she was someone who would rather share all her stories thank rather keep to herself, she would always prefer referring her glass as half full rather than half empty, she was quite someone when i tried my way flirting with her, she knew about it {my flirting sucked!}, but coz of our mutual friend i was able to know her likes an dislikes which weren't known to mee, then a day came when i realized that i couldn't use this platform for overall communication and on a broader perspective requested for her number so we could text each other.... in the beginning i was quiet reluctant to ask as i felt she mite tag me a weirdo n block me... but if i had to take the idea of a relationship any further this was a very important milestone for me, as i built up the courage to ask for her number all i could thing off was what if she says 'no', what if all my effort goes waste..... this thing was very crucial and thus made my delay my plans by another week.... as i was getting restless, one day at the end of out chatting session as she was about to leave i asked her

"do u have s cell phone "-i asked her

she replied-"yes?"

"does it have a number"

her reply-"obviously"

"can i please have it?"

       then i felt she was quiet stunned for a moment as i could see the typing icon but no reply on the chat-box for the next 5 mins, after a while i realized it was time to leave, as i got up to leave my chatbox binged... "why do u want my no?"

i was speechless-"jus like that", i said

"i dont give my number to someone jus like that" replied she

at this point i was on the verge of hurting myself pretty bad for my hasty nature or rushing upto things....

the next message binged-"wait for some days, ill give it to you :)"

this was something which sounded consoling, but at the same time landed a fear in my brain that she mite be stalling me.... with mixed feelings i bid her farewell on that day... guessing that she mite block me off her FB account after this date...

          The next day i was not soo eager too goo online as i felt that there was no use at all.... bt as usual the addiction made me switch on ma PC and long into Facebook... as i went through the online friends menu i saw that Ms.A was online, thus she hadnt deleted me...

i started chatting with her too formally that day coz of which she within a few moments found something amiss that day, i requested her to forget my plea for her number if it mite harm our friendship in any way....

at that she told me that she was fine with sharing her number with me, the only thing stopping her was coz i was new to her and she wanted to know me better.... that was a great relief for me.... by now i had realised that somewhat she was unknowingly playing a vital role in my life and i was getting dragged closer to her every moment.... that very evening i got her number.... i had told her

"the day you feel like giving me your number just message me on 966****708"

upon which she had replied with a text smiley...

days passed with us chatting and forwarding messages to each other... nights peaked after me reading a goodnight message from her... days dawned with me reading a good morning message

{yaa she was an early riser!}[quiet my opposite :D]

i had started to know her better by now.... she was quiet disciplined yet dint fail to strike a balance of humor and laughter in our conversations.... the day came when i proposed her, it wasn't nearby but it wasn't that far off either.... but thats a totally different story which i would share some other day...

till next time folks, have a great time till denn , bye... :)

hiiiiiiiii frnss

For a nice friend "nice morning"..  For a sweet friend "sweet morning"  For a loving friend "lovely morning"  For a Good friend "good morning"helloooooooooooooooooo