Kathmandu, 13 Oct: With the conclusion of the Tihar festival, preparations for Chhath, which begins today on the fourth day of the bright fortnight of Kartik, have gained momentum across villages and markets in the Mithila region, including Mahottari district. Local residents are busy preparing for the four-day festival.
Homes across the Mithila region have begun echoing with traditional Chhath songs, reflecting the deep faith, devotion and religious significance associated with the festival. Devotional songs praising the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya (Goddess Shashthi) have filled the atmosphere with a festive spirit.
As part of the preparations, local residents are cleaning riverbanks, ponds and other religious water bodies while constructing and decorating Chhath ghats. Young people are particularly active in building and beautifying the worship sites. Houses are also being decorated with bamboo strips and traditional materials, followed by plastering, painting and renovation. Streets, homes and public places have been illuminated with colourful lights. People from all economic backgrounds are preparing to celebrate the festival with devotion according to their means.
Daily activities across the region have increasingly become centred on Chhath preparations. From social gatherings and conversations to household responsibilities, almost everything is now focused on the upcoming festival, said Haridev Mahato, headteacher of Janata Secondary School in Bijalpura, Bardibas-13.
Markets across Mithila are witnessing growing crowds of shoppers purchasing items required for Chhath worship. Sales of bananas and other essential festival materials have increased. Local farmers are preparing to bring sugarcane stalks, ginger, turmeric plants, yam, citron and other traditional offerings to the markets. Most of these items are expected to be sold on Saturday, said Shiv Chandra Chaudhary, president of the Jaleshwar Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Similarly, demand for traditional bamboo products, including dhaki, daliya, koniya, nanglo, chalno and hand fans, has increased in weekly markets. These items are traditionally made from split bamboo and are used to carry and arrange offerings during the festival.
The market for earthenware has also expanded, with growing demand for traditional oil lamps, clay pots used to set yoghurt, containers for worship materials and vessels for storing water. The tradition of placing Chhath offerings in new utensils has contributed to increased sales of bamboo products and clay pots.
Households are also busy preparing traditional Chhath offerings. Women are occupied making thekua and bhuswa, two popular traditional sweets prepared for the festival. The practice of grinding rice and wheat flour at home using traditional wooden mills and stone grinders remains alive in many households.
Purity and cleanliness are given special importance during Chhath, and family members work together to prepare the offerings. Mithilani women, particularly, are busy preparing rice and wheat flour for the occasion. Shanti Devi Sah, 55, of Ramnagar in Bhangaha-4, said devotion and sincerity are the most important aspects of Chhath preparations.
In the Mithila region, Chhath is celebrated for four days, from the fourth to the seventh day of the bright fortnight of Kartik. The festival begins with Nahaya-Khaya, a ritual bathing and eating ceremony. The second day is observed as Kharna. On the third day, devotees offer prayers and water (arghya) to the setting Sun. The festival concludes on the fourth day with offerings to the rising Sun in the early morning.
Chhath is also regarded as a festival that promotes social harmony and unity. People set aside past disagreements and gather together to worship the Sun God. At Chhath ghats, people from different castes and communities traditionally sit side by side to observe the rituals without discrimination.
Local residents believe that participation in the festival encourages humility, cooperation and mutual respect through shared religious devotion. Dedicated to the worship of the Sun God and Goddess Shashthi, Chhath is widely believed to bring happiness, prosperity and well-being to families and communities.
