Jaunpur. In Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, to fulfill the wishes of having a child, long life and success of the sons, the festival of Surya worship is celebrated starting from Chhath Kartik month Shukla Paksha Tithi Chaturthi i.e. 05th November and will end by offering Arghya to the rising Sun on 08th November. Preparations for this four-day festival are going on in full swing in the district. Before this festival, people have started shopping along with cleaning their homes, due to which the hustle and bustle in the markets has increased. Places of worship on the banks of rivers and ponds are being cleaned.
A large number of foreigners are returning home from metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat and Kolkata, due to which crowding in trains and buses has increased. The main prasad of Dala Chhath fast is Thekua. It is made from wheat flour, jaggery and desi ghee. Prasad is cooked by burning mango wood on an earthen stove. Seasonal fruits include coconut, banana, papaya, apple, pomegranate, tuber, sugarcane, galgal, reed, water chestnut, custard apple, tuberose, orange, pineapple, lemon, leafy turmeric, leafy ginger, kohra, radish, betel nut, betel nut, dry fruits etc. According to capacity, Arghya is given with cow’s milk. This donation can be given in a brass bowl or any other vessel if bamboo bowl or pot is not available.
On the second day of Nahay-Khay, all the devotees observe Nirjala fast for the whole day. Along with fasting from morning, wheat etc. is washed and dried on this day. After fasting throughout the day, the devotees perform Kharna after performing puja in the evening. On this day, fasting people will consume rice pudding made of jaggery and roti prepared in ghee. At many places, Arwa rice, pulses, vegetables etc. are offered to Lord Bhaskar in the form of Kharna Prasad. Apart from this, banana, water chestnut etc. are also offered to Lord Aditya as Prasad.
Kharna Prasad is first accepted by the fasting person himself in a closed room. Kharna Prasad is made from mango wood on a new earthen stove. The four-day festival of worship is concluded by offering Nahay Khay on 05 November, Kharna on 06 November, Arghya to the setting sun on 07 November and Arghya to the rising sun on 08 November. This year, this festival is being celebrated with great pomp and show, however, this festival celebrated in Bihar has gradually gained a lot of influence in Purvanchal as well as Jaunpur.
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