Chhath festival aka Chhath Mahaparv is celebrated six days after Diwali. While the fast is about determination and your sincerity towards Chathhi Maiyaa and Surya Dev, a lot the rituals involve having a lot of ingredients for the puja aka puja samagri. A strict fast is kept by devotees who perform a set of holy rituals to seek blessings from Chhath Maiyaa and the sun god. The festival continues for four days and it includes a no water fast, and araghya to the rising and setting sun. Chhath fast is said to bring in happiness and prosperity in life, longevity and peace in the family. It is mainly done for the children, parents and spouse. On this day Happy Chhath Puja 2020 messages, GIF images, stickers and SMS are also shared amongst families and friends. Exactly 6 days after Diwali, Surya Shashthi fasting is done on Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. However, one of the most important parts of Chhath Puja is the ingredients also known as Chhath Puja samagri that are required. Without these ingredients that include veggies, fruits, prasad and other items that impress Chatthi Maiyya, the fast is considered incomplete.

Chhath Puja 2020 kosi rituals done to fulfil wishes also known as mannats. Music aka the folk songs that are supposed to be played in the background of while performing the rituals plays an important role in the festivities and you might want the best list of Chhath Puja Bhojpuri songs for free Mp3 download. But before that you might want to know Chhath Puja 2020 date & full Schedule: When is Nahay Khay, Lohanda and Kharna, Sandhya and Usha Arghya? The Chhath puja samagri include big baskets of bamboo (known as daali), soop (hindi for Winnowing Basket) made of bamboo or brass, milk, water, sari-kurta pyjamas (new clothes), rice, thekua/thekwa, Red/orange vermilion (sindoor), incense, clay lamps, coconut, sugarcane with leaf, sweet potato, turmeric and ginger plant, good, pear, apple amongst other fruits and veggies.

List of Chhath Puja Samagri

1. New clothes, sarees for women and kurta-pyjamas for men or whatever is convenient usually in colours like red and yellow.

2. To keep the offerings for Chhathi Maa, about two big baskets made of bamboo.

3. Soops/winnower (made of bamboo or brass)

4. A glass, lota and a plate for milk and water.

5. 5 sugarcane, with leaves.

6. Coconut, containing water.

7. Rice, vermilion, lamp and incense.

8. Small plant of turmeric, radish and ginger.

9. Sweet lemon, Sharifa, Banana and Pear.

10. Sweet potato and sonth.

11. Betel and whole betel nut.

12. Honey.

13. Kumkum, sandalwood, incense sticks & camphor.

14. Sweets.

15. Gud(jaggery), wheat and rice flour.

16. Aipan (paste made of special rice)

17. Holy string (sootra)

18. Diya (clay lamps)

19. Whole banana cluster (ghawad)

20. Thekua (prasad made of flour and jaggery/sugar)

21. Akshat (rice coloured with turmeric)

22. Cover

Thekua made of jaggery and wheat flour is the main prasad of Chhath Puja, without it, Chhath Puja is considered incomplete. Laddus made of rice flour (locally called Kasaar) is also offered.

The main ritual includes collecting these items in the bamboo basket and then men carry it on their heads to the ghat for worship to happen. Apart from Thekua, fruits & vegetables are placed in the basket after being thoroughly washed and cleaned. They usually include banana, pineapple, big sweet lemon, apple, water chestnut, radish, ginger leaves, sugarcane, raw turmeric, coconut etc. Thekuas and rice laddus made for Chhath are expected to be made using the rice and wheat, which are personally washed, dried and crushed by the devotees.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2020 06:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).