The Rise of the Chathh Sun

By Sanjeev Sethi

Faith, they say is not as contagious as panic. It is not easy to believe in someone else’s system easily these days. Data proves that the number of disbelievers in every religion has increased over the last couple of decades. A very valid contradiction to this aspect is observed in the celebration of Chathh festival in North and West India. Circa 15 years ago, the festival since always had a strong and staunch followership in the eastern parts of India, with it’s supposed epicenter in the state of Bihar. While people in Northern India were aware of Chathh, there was less of visible involvement. Fast forward today, the festival is pretty pervasive in North India to the extent that roads get impacted and traffic regulation needs special attention. The rest of India seems to have just embraced this festival exponentially. More unique is the fact that it perhaps is the biggest Hindu festival which does not involve worshipping any idol but is a bow to natural solar energy. Truly, there must be several goods in this 4 day saga and my effort today will be try and peel this onion a little

There are two parts on why the festival is called Chathh. The wife of Sun God is Chathi Maiya who  worships the Sun God. During this festival, ladies who fast symbolize Chathi Maiya. The other part supporting the same name is that the main day of Chathh falls on the 6^th day post Diwali. While urbanization has led to people migrating from eastern India to all other parts and this could be the first driver towards increased popularity, the purity of this 4 day ritual is exemplary. The care taken to keep things sustainable and hygienic for this festival is far more than what one experiences normally. It is interesting to note how sustainable earthen pots and pans are used to cook very sustainable food ( kheer , roti and the famous cookie ‘thekua’)  by using sustainable fuel ( cow dung cakes) . A variety of fruits adorn the plate of offerings and sugarcane juice is used to sweeten deserts instead of manufactured sugar. The devotees observing the four day fast live almost the life of an urban ascetic by sleeping on the floor, wearing pure cotton clothes, bathing with mud instead of soap, brushing their teeth with a twig of herbal tree etc, thus making the whole process very pure and sustainable . The mothers’ supreme love for her children’s wellbeing is  the objective of this fast. Perhaps, it is because of these great goods that the festival and fast appeal to those who have not experienced it earlier

In the states Bihar and Jharkhand, the festival takes more prominence than Diwali. The young urban migrants want to be home with their parents on this day. Houses are lit, streets washed and people adorn themselves with new clothes. The pious festival takes an edge over urban Diwali where the bruhaha of mad traffic on the road and elements of partying, drinking, gambling and associated consequences are attached. Chathh on the other hand is observed in a the most solemn, subtle, holy and yet very happy way as a family. Family members and even neighbors consider themselves lucky in helping the devotees to prepare  prasad and do other associated jobs for the ceremony of offering, ‘arak’. A strong social order witnessing the warmth and bonding in a family and society is a beautiful treat to experience

From the outside, it seems that it is the women again in Indian homes who need to fast for the wellbeing of their family members in this still patriarchal world. I felt a bit bad , especially when Chathh falls just two weeks post Karva Chauth, another Hindu festival/fast wherein the wife observes a day without food and water for the wellbeing of her husband. Wondering if Karva Chauth is just a practice to get in the groove for this big fast. On closer observation though, you find that the score gets settled when all young and old men seek blessings from the fasting wives, daughters, sisters , daughter in laws et al by touching their feet.  Later, men consider themselves lucky if they get to wash the sarees which the ladies on fast had worn during the ‘arak’. This is opposite of the tradition of Karva Chauth wherein the wife is the one observing the fast and the one touching the husband’s feet to seek blessings. The maturity of this Chathh tradition demonstrates the goodness of respecting women very visibly, irrespective of their age and hierarchical position in the family.

The Chathh fast is tough and spans over 4 days. The first day is Nahaa Khaa when devotes have a bath on the banks of a river and come home to prepare delicacies which are served to several guests in the evening. Post this early dinner, they stay without food and water for 24 hours till the end of ‘Kharna’ or the second day of the fast. This evening witnesses guests lining up for ‘kheer and roti ‘prepared by the fasting devotees. From this evening till the next 36 hours, is the toughest phase when the devotees again fast without food and water. In between, they perform the ceremony of sunset ‘arak’, on the third day at the banks of the river, come home to relax. They go back again next day morning for the final sunrise ‘arak’ to culminate the fast by having ginger, jaggery and water. This vedic potion helps in stabilizing digestion post the ordeal.

I have been fortunate to witness the sunrise of this beautiful morning a couple of times. The satisfaction on the faces of fasting devotees and their supporters is echoed by fireworks during early nippy morning dawn. The big and bold vermilion mark, nose upwards, across the forehead up till the hair of the decked devotees standing waist deep in water offering the arak despite feeling cold, is celebratory of a hard-earned victory accomplished. Several worship the Sun as it emerges from darkness on this auspicious morning blessing the world in the backdrop of thousands chanting the hymns of ‘Jai Chathi Maiya’ i.e. Victory to Chathi Maiya!