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Ancient Vedic Religion Festivities of Muzaffarpur are steeped in history that has no means to fathom. Moreover, history is not always written by historians but by people who wake up legends and legends to the skeptics are in fact revelations to the faithful.
At one time Muzaffarpur was beyond the pale of Aryan culture and remained free from the influences of Vedic religion. During this period, the people of ancient Muzaffarpur worshipped the forces of nature, like serpents, stones, trees, Chaityas (funerary mounds) Yakshas (semi divine beings), etc. Gradually these objects were incorporated into the Aryan pantheon and in exchange Brahmana leadership and Vedic sacrifices were accepted by the people of this region.
The majority of people are Hindu. So all traditional Hindu festivals are observed - Holi, Saraswati Puja, Durga Puja or Dusserah, Deepavali, Bhaiya Dooj etc. But there is one festival that is uniquely associated with Muzaffarpur (Bihar), and that is the festival of Chhath.
Chhath Puja
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A week after the festival of lights, Diwali, is celebrated chhath. For one night, people of Bihar virtually live on the banks of river Ganga and other water pools to offer obeisance to Sun
god.
Since the obeisance has to be offered from mid-water, the ideal venue for this unique festivity is .the banks of rivers. The festival is dedicated to the worship of Sun god and is, therefore, also known as Surya Shashti Chhath is considered to be an opportunity to thank Sun god for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and also to pray for fulfilment of wishes.
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The word Chhath denotes the number six and, thus, the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu month of Kartik in the Hindu lunar calendar, corresponding to October-November. It is one of the holiest festivals for Biharis and extends for four days with the devotees offering prayers on the last sunset and sunrise from the middle of a water pool.
It's popularly believed that all the wishes of the devotees are fulfilled during Chhath. Also, an element of fear is present among the devotees who dread the punishment for mi deeds during Chhath. So much so that even criminals stop their activities for these four days and the stale becomes a safer place to live in.
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Day 1: Devotees take a dip, preferably in the holy river Ganga, and bring the sacred river water 10 prepare offerings.
Day 2: Devotees observe a fast for he whole day, which is broken in ate evening after offering prayers at home. The offerings - 'kheer', 'puri' and bananas - are then distributed
among family and friends.
Day 3: The day is spent preparing the offerings at home. In the evening, the devotees along with their family and friends move to a riverbank or a pond. There, the offerings are made to the setting sun. At nightfall, the devotees along with the family and friends return home where another colourful celebration takes place. Clay elephants containing earthen lamps and containers full of the offerings are placed under a canopy of sugarcane sticks. There the god of fire is worshipped.
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Day 4: On the final day of the festivities, the devotees and their family and friends again move to the riverbank before sunrise. Offerings are made to the rising sun this time. At the completion of the offerings, the devotees break their fast. It is a joyous and colourful festival. While fasting devotees have to wear unstitched, new cloths, others are dressed in their best attire.
Devotional songs reverberate in the air, purifying the whole atmosphere. Folksongs are sung both at home and on the riverbank. Each and every street is cleaned by volunteers, who also decorate all the streets leading to rivers and ponds with illuminating lights and colourful festoons and banners.
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Strict vegetarian menu is followed in every home, and even onions and garlic are considered a taboo during the four-day festivities. All possible purity of food is ensured.
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