November 7: Holiday for schools in Delhi, Bihar, UP and Jharkhand

Chhath Puja is a significant Hindu festival in reverence to the Sun God (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya, or Mother Shashti. This year, it falls on November 7. The four-day festival will occur from November 5 to 8 and mainly occurs in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh.

Holidays Declared

To enable the faithful to attend the festival, several states have declared holidays:

Delhi: Chief Minister Atishi declares the 7th November public holiday and the Purvanchali Community now rejoice

Bihar: Four days holidays from 6 to 9 November have been announced for schools in Bihar by the state government

Jharkhand: It is a restricted holiday declared by the state for all Central Govt Employees for the date 7 November 2022

Uttar Pradesh: Chhath Puja is supposed to begin and even without a proper announcement, the holiday list on 7 November includes schools.

Chhath Puja Rituals

The festival is held over four days with rituals, such as fasting, bathing in rivers, and praying at sunrise and sunset. Women have played an active role in participating in these rituals to manifest their devotion and faith.

Significance of Chhath Puja

Chhath Puja is highly significant as it enables:
Thanking the Sun God for the survival of mankind
Praying for richness, health, and good time
Ties among people and community-based celebrations
Preparation and Celebrations

Devotees are gearing up for the celebrations and making traditional sweets, fruits, and offerings. Thousands of devotees will throng the riverbanks and water bodies to offer prayers and arghya to the setting and rising sun.

As the festival of Chhath Puja approaches, the nation comes together in celebration of this ancient festival, which showcases India's rich cultural heritage.

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