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The Chhath devotees have been observing fasting since early morning and now preparing to offer arghya (curd and holy water) to the setting sun later this evening.

Observance of fasting is a significant part of the Chhath festival. However, only devotees and not all celebrants observe the rigorous fasting during which they have to abstain even a drop of water.

The Sun God, Chhathi Mata and rivers are worshipped during this festival. The offering of the curd is conducted on the sixth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Kartik. The curd is offered by adhering to the rituals. 

On the main day of the Chhath today, there is a bustling presence of celebrants and devotees from Guheshwori to Gaurighat- the Bagmati River bank above the Pashupatinath Temple- in Kathmandu. 

The mythological belief has it that Draupadi had worshipped the Sun God and wished success to the five Pandavas when their whereabouts was not clear. The holy text, Mahabharat, has such mention. It is believed the celebration of the Chhath festival began then.

Similarly, the Surya Purana has explained it was Anushuya, spouse of Atrimuni, observing the Chhath fasting, which resulted in happiness and love and fulfilling life with the spouse. The Surya Purana believes it is the beginning of the Chhath festival which continues thereafter.

As part of the festival, the devout abstain from meals for once since the fourth day of bright fortnight, while observing the rigorous fasting later. Similarly, the offering with fruits and pudding is made to Shasthi Mata on the sixth day.

The Guheshwori Gaurighat Chhath Puja Committee informed that the devotees who have observed rigorous fasting are offering arghya to the setting sun this evening.  

Kamalpokhari, Nakkhu and Bishnumati river banks are also decorated for Chhath celebration. 

The Chhath festival, initially limited to the Mithila region, expanded gradually to other Tarai districts and hills including the federal capital, Kathmandu, in recent years.

The President, Vice President and other dignitaries have extended best wishes to all Nepali sisters and brothers on this occasion. 

The government has given a public holiday for the Chhath celebration today. 

It is the festival of cleanliness, purity, worship to nature and Sun God, family bond and harmony in community.

Chhath festival is being observed today by worshipping and making offerings to the setting sun.

The festive fanfare has been seen in different parts including Ranipokhari, Gaurighat, Kupondole of the Kathmandu Valley as well.

The festival is dedicated to the sun God, with offerings made to the rising and setting sun. It is observed for four days, from Kartik Shukala Chaturthi to Kartik Shukla Saptami as per the lunar calendar.

It usually falls between October and November in the Gregorian calendar. The Sun considered as the god of energy and of the life-force, is worshiped during the Chhath festival to promote well-being, prosperity and progress.

The ritual of Chhath Parba includes taking holy bath, fasting, standing and worshiping the sun for a long time and offering Prasad and Argha to the ‘Rising and setting Sun”.

Chhath is a festival of bathing and worshipping that follows a period of abstinence and segregation of the worshiper from the main household for four days.

During this period, the worshiper observes purity and sleeps on the floor on a single blanket.

This is the only holy festival which has no involvement of any pandit (priest).

The devotees offer their prayers to the setting sun and then the rising sun in celebrating its glory as the cycle of birth starts with death. It is seen as the most glorious form of Sun worship.     

The nation is currently experiencing the effects of westerly winds along with a low-pressure system that has developed over the Arabian Sea. 

This afternoon, the hilly regions of Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim Provinces are expected to see generally partly cloudy weather, while the remaining plains will also have partly cloudy skies. 

As per the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, there is a chance of light rain or snow in one or two locations within the high hill and mountain areas across all provinces. 

Furthermore, tonight, predominantly cloudy conditions are anticipated in the remaining hilly regions, including Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpashchim Provinces, while the other Tarai regions are expected to have partly cloudy weather. 

The weather bulletin released by the department indicates a likelihood of moderate rain or snow in several areas of the hilly and mountain regions of Gandaki and Karnali Provinces, as well as in one or two locations in the other hilly and mountain regions, including Lumbini Province.

Chhath, an important festival of the people of Tarai-Madhes that aims to increase human interest in non-violence and encourage compassion for all living beings, is in full swing. Devotees are busy celebrating Chhath in the districts of Tarai-Madhes, including in the religio-cultural capital of Janakpurdham.

Preparations for Chhath, which is a festival of special hardship for the women of Mithilani, Tharu and Bhojpuri among the main festivals of Tarai-Madhes, are in full swing in the districts of Tarai-Madhes. 

The public is currently busy buying and purchasing the materials required for Chhath, which is a common culture celebrated with rules, integrity and rituals. The general public is busy shopping in the market to buy coconuts, sugarcane, bamboo baskets, nanglo, dhakiya, and clay materials, including coconuts and sugarcane.

This four-day festival of worshipping the Sun, the source of all power, will conclude with a ritual bath on the first day, followed by a ritual offering to the setting sun on the second day, and an offering to the rising sun on the third and rising sun on the fourth day. During the Chhath festival, it is customary to offer fish, meat, garlic, onions, millet, lentils and boiled rice as food items, according to Ram Bharosh Kapadi, president of Madhes Pragya Pratishthan and culture expert. “The purity of the items offered during Chhath has made this festival different from other festivals. In this festival, rice and wheat are carefully examined, washed, dried and ground, not in general, and this special aspect of cleanliness has made this festival different from other festivals,” said cultural expert Kapadi.

This important festival, which has been celebrated among the Madhesi community, has also become popular among the hill communities here for the past few years. Rita Lama of Bardibas says that along with the Mithila women who celebrate Chhath every year, women from the Nepali community have also started celebrating Chhath.

To give grandeur to the Chhath festival, which is mainly celebrated for the purpose of procreation, disease cure and family welfare, dozens of ponds and lakes including the historical Gangasagar, Dhanushsagar, Angrajsar, Maharaj Sagar, Agnikunda, Ratnasagar, Valmiki Sar, Dasharath Talau in Janakpur have been cleaned by various organizations and youth clubs and arrangements have been made for electricity, pandals and other facilities, says Sushal Karna, a youth from Janaki Chowk.

During Chhath, which is celebrated to worship Lord Surya Dev, there is a tradition of offering bananas, sugarcane, a vat, milk, clay elephants and lids as per vows. On the sixth day of the Chhath festival, which is considered the main day of the festival, the devotees who have observed a fast by bathing and washing themselves in the morning have a tradition of offering Argha to the setting sun in the evening by standing in water bodies. In the Tarai-Madhes, this ritual is called the evening Argha or ‘Sazhuka Argha’.

There is a tradition of staying awake all night at a ghat decorated with tents and garlands at water bodies like ponds, wells, lakes and rivers, and offering Argha to the rising sun in the morning on the seventh day. The Argha offered to the rising sun in the morning is called ‘Bhorka Argha’. After offering Argha to the rising sun in this way, Chaiti Chhath is formally completed.