Chhath devotees prepare for second day of festival with ‘Kharna’ ritual

Devotees of the Chhath festival, a celebration of faith and reverence in the Madhesh region, are preparing for the second-day ritual known as Kharna. After observing the ‘Nahay-Khay’ ceremony on Tuesday, devotees are now preparing for the ritual on Kartik Shukla Panchami, which focuses on purification, dedication, and fasting.

On this day, devotees start with a ritual bath and then observe a day-long fast without food or water. In the evening, they prepare a special offering of kheer (a rice pudding made with jaggery, milk, and rice) cooked in a new clay stove and pot. This kheer, placed on a banana leaf, is first offered to Kuldevata (family deity) and Chhathi Devi before being shared as prasad with family members.

Following the day-long fast, devotees end the ritual after moonrise by offering their prayers and then consume the kheer as part of the Kharna ritual.

Tomorrow, on Kartik Shukla Shashti, devotees will continue with a rigorous fast and gather at scenic riverbanks to offer their first arghya (offering) to the setting sun while standing waist-deep in water. In Mithila, this ritual is known as Sajuka Arakh or Sajhiya Ghat.

On the final day, devotees give a second arghya to the rising sun, marking the end of the festival, a tradition known locally as Bhorka Arakh or Paran. Offerings include various sweets, fruits, and a special coconut with husk, which are shown to the Sun God as a mark of devotion.