Patna (Bihar) [India]: Chhath Puja — called aastha ka mahaparv (the mega festival of faith) is not only a celebration that prays for rising and setting Sun, but also celebrates inter-religious bonhomie.
It blurs the lines that divide society based on caste and religion. The Veerchandra Patel Path in the Kotwali area here is dotted with Muslim women selling clay stoves.
They say they pay special attention and respect towards the religious sentiments of their customers while preparing earthenware stoves for devotees to cook their offerings on.
They told ANI that for generations their families have been making earthenware stoves for Chhath Puja, a major Hindu festival celebrated mainly in Eastern Indian states including in Bihar.
“We make earthenware stoves for Chhath Puja. I learned it from my mother who has been doing this for many years. We make earthen stoves after taking a bath and without eating anything. we started making it from the time of Durga Puja and have made around 150 to 200 pieces of the stove. It takes a lot of hard work to make it and we sell it for Rs. 50 to Rs. 100-150,” Seema Khatim, one of the women said.
She said that to make one piece of the stove, it would take two hours.
“I have been making these earthen stoves for the past 6 years. Since it is part of a prayer, then we make sure not to touch it after it is done, and also make sure that we do not eat certain foods while making it,” another woman said.
A person who came to buy these stoves said, “I purchase stoves from here every year and sell them in retail. I have come to buy 51 pieces of the stove now.”
The trend of celebrating the festival of Chhath is believed to have started in the hilly regions of Nepal after the political change of 1990 when democracy was restored in the Himalayan nation.
It is believed that a person’s desires and prayers from the heart’s core will bring blessings. During the time of fasting, only those foods that are considered to be pure are consumed and cleanliness is one thing that is cared for the most during the period.
This festival witnesses a high participation rate of women, is marked with fanfare, and is also regarded as an occasion to take a break from household chores and be refreshed.
It is primarily celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Nepal, as well as by the diaspora from these regions.
Chhath Puja spans over four days and is one of the most significant and rigorous festivals, involving strict rituals and fasting to express gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth.