The unique Indian festival of Chhath Puja honours the solar deities Surya and Shashthi Devi. Believed to be the Gods of light, they are worshipped on this day to promote the life, well-being, and prosperity of human beings. The festival’s patron goddess is Chhathi Maiya, the sister of Lord Surya and the sixth manifestation of Devi Prakriti. In the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed on the sixth day of the lunar month of Kartika (October–November), six days after Deepavali.

Chhath puja has a unique significance in Indian culture, especially in the Bihar region. It honours Surya, the God of the sun. Every living thing on earth can see the sun, which is the source of all life. On this day, Chhathi Maiya and the Sun God are both honoured. Chhathi Maiya (or Chhathi Mata), according to Vedic astrology, grants children long lives and good health while shielding them from illnesses and troubles.

The first person to perform Chhath puja, according to the Mahabharata, was Lord Surya’s son Karna. He stood in the sea and exposed his body, praying to Lord Surya. It is also believed that the Pandavas carried out these rites in order to retake their dominion from the Kauravas.

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Chhath puja, in contrast to other Hindu ceremonies, lasts for four days. During these four-day rituals, participants take holy baths in the river, fast, prepare and offer Prasad, and then perform arghya to the sun at sunrise.

Let’s take a look at how our bureaucrats celebrated the holy festival of Chhath with their families, this year:

BUREAUCRATS CELEBRATE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS

IPS officer Vikas Vaibhav, who is currently posted as Inspector General, of Homeguards and Fire Services in Bihar celebrated the festival with full grandeur with his family.

A SPECIAL OCCASION

It was indeed a special occasion for the female officers who performed Chhath pooja as they kept fasts for their loved ones and honoured the Gods of light.

IRS officer of the 2018 batch, Ms. Namita Sharma celebrated Chhath Pooja with her husband and in-laws on her terrace. Here are her photos from the day:

Similarly, IFS officer Aishwarya Raj, the District Forest Officer of Parvati Division, celebrated Chhath Pooja with his family, with happiness and laughter.

TOUCHING GESTURES

IAS officer of the 2012 batch of Bihar cadre, Mr. Kundan Kumar, who is currently posted as DM, West Champaran also celebrated the festival with a sweet touch to it, as he, along with his children, touched the feet of his mother as an adorable gesture.

Although, IAS officer S Siddharth, who is currently posted as the Additional Chief Secretary in Bihar, originally hails from Madurai Tamil Nadu, his wife, N Vijayalakshami, who is posted as Joint Secretary in Bihar, has been performing the Chhath Pooja since 2013.

He says, “We have been residing in Bihar after joining the service. We used to see and enjoy this festival. It took us close to nature. So, we decided to celebrate it and give our gratitude to the nature and epitome of energy ‘sun'”.

This year, he is also fasting on Chhath, along with his wife.