Kathmandu – Devotees in Nepal’s Mithila region are observing Kharna, the second-day ritual of the four-day Chhath festival, with fasting, prayer and preparations for worship of the Sun.
The festival began with Nahay Khay, when devotees bathe, prepare their homes and make a commitment to observe the rituals with cleanliness and devotion.
On Kharna, devotees take a ritual bath and fast through the day. After sunset and the sighting of the moon, they prepare a special rice pudding using milk, jaggery and rice, traditionally cooked in new earthen utensils.
The pudding is offered to Chhathi Maiya and the family deity before devotees break their fast and share the food as prasad with family members.
Chhath is widely regarded in Mithila as a festival of faith, discipline, gratitude and purification. Families also prepare offerings and decorate riverbanks, ponds and other designated worship sites for the next stages of the festival.
On the third day, devotees gather at water bodies and stand in the water to offer arghya to the setting Sun. The evening ritual is commonly known in Mithila as Sanjhiya Ghat or Sanjhuka Aragh.
The festival concludes the following morning with prayers and offerings to the rising Sun, known as Bhor Ka Aragh or Paran. Offerings traditionally include fruits, coconuts and homemade foods such as thekuwa and bhusuwa.
Although Chhath has deep roots in the Madhesh and Mithila communities, it is now observed by people from different backgrounds across Nepal. The festival also brings relatives and neighbours together through shared preparations, worship and distribution of prasad.
