The bliss of festivals in Bharat is such that it can only be felt and understood by its people. The emotional connect with festivals lies in the core of the heart of the people. Festivals, be it National or Regional, the enthusiasm that these bring along, flows in the very blood of the people of Bharat. Festivals are believed to break the monotony of life and bring joy from within. One of the most famous regional festivals of Bharat that is celebrated with great fervour is Chhath Pooja. Also known as Chhath Mahaparv is highly popular festivals of Bihar, Jharkhand, East Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. It is one of the most awaited events of the year for the native of these states. The vivacity of this festival can be observed from the gestures of people travelling across the nation to celebrate it.
Commencing from fourth day of shukla paksha of the month of Kartik and Chaitra, this four day grand festival gets completed on the seventh day of the hindu calendar with highest reverence on the sixth day. A beautiful festival which is dedicated to the worship of the Sun and Chhathi Maiya, falls two times in the Hindu Calendar, one is Chaiti Chhath which happens in the first month of the Hindu Calendar i.e. Chaitra and another is in the Kartik Month. The festival’s tradition can be said to be age old as its mention can be found in the Mahabharata and is also believed to have been observed with similar tradition in the Ramayana.
The Sun is considered as God in Bharat, this is also mentioned in the Vrihadaranyak Upanishad. All the planets revolve around the sun. For the solar power is the force of life. The God of Light and Energy is the driving force of the existence of life. The festival of Chhath is dedicated to the solar deties; the Sun and the two Goddess Usha (Dawn) and Pratyusha (Dusk) or Goddess Shashti well known as Chhathi Maiyya. It is a pure gesture to express gratitude towards the solar deity for enduring life and liveliness on earth. Though there are many regional festivals that are dedicated to thank the environment, but Chhath is the only festival that observes worship of the Sun both at the time of setting and rising. The scene of horizon every year on this day witness lakhs of women beautifully dressed with lots of offerings to the god waiting for the moment of worshipping. The festival teaches us to worship and feel grateful to the “giver”; the giver of life, food, rain, power, light, energy and probably the life-force of the earth. The Sun is considered to be the giver of everything and hence people extend the thankfulness by worshipping the Sun and the goddess of rising and setting who are the enabler of the entire cycle of life on the earth.
For the people of Bihar especially Chhath is not just a festival but an emotion. A sentiment so strong that words seem lesser to express the zeal. Emotions of people can be very well seen every year at the time of Chhath Mahaparv, when people living in any part of the world perform Chhath Pooja with all the rituals and feel strong about it. Also, they tend to travel to home to live and cherish the moments of Chhath. Mothers observe difficult fast of around 36 hours for the wellbeing of their children during the festival. It is probably a celebration and emotion bigger than the most popular festival Diwali for the people of Bihar. The heavy trafficking on the means of transportation is the proof of the vehemence so strongly embedded in the very blood of the people for Chhath.
It is ardour that flow in the air during this four day festival that the aroma of rasiyav (kheer) and thekua creates a soothing ambience in the environment. From fruits to homemade sweets, from decoration to hygiene, from enchanting folk prayers and songs, to soulful musical tributes of Chhath. From making satvik food to distributing prasad to everyone, from lighting of diyas, to offering prayers in the water standing for hours to worship the Sun, the festival portrays a pious picture of devotion and faith. It is not only a festival of emotion, devotion, faith and culture but is a key economic wheel that revitalises the economy of these states in and around these days.
The Economic Distribution
The vibrance in the economy can be felt in the market. Usually the products used in the rituals of the festival like flour, jaggery, rice, milk, dryfruits, the moulds of making thekua, fruits, sugarcane, coconut, sindoor, religious products like mauli, threads, aasan (cloth), etc., flowers, wooden baskets, diyas, pottery, utensils, new clothes, jewellery and many more are sold in huge quantity. It benefits to the retailers, wholesalers and even to the initiator who grows or produces these products. Economic distribution takes place in the entire chain wherein in many number of stakeholders get their shares of earning even from a small buying. Many people make wheat flour from their own crops but there large number of people who buy it fresh from the market, either the wheat or the floor, since, the festival encourages the practice of using everything fresh and new in the making of prasad etc. The agriculture and food processing industry, transportation industry, sound industry, textile and apparel industry, religious product industry, wood and clay industry, metal industry etc. observe good income and revenue. The creation of employment and entrepreneurship during the festival is an added on blessing. Usually all the products are local produce of Bharat and specially of the native land hence this festival also conveys the message of being “Vocal for Local”. Also, it strengthens trade between states for the articles which are the produce of other states like clothes etc. The circulation of money takes place on a vast level. Like the rays of the Sun, the economic distribution takes place in all the sections of the society without any bias. The essence of purity and sanctity flows in the air during this festival.
Natives from entire nation working elsewhere tend to visit their hometowns for the festival. The level enthusiasm can gauged from the huge rush seen at the railway stations and bus stands. Huge number of people travelling for this purpose is a proof of the income generated by the transportation companies during the festival. On 31 October 2024, the Indian Railways launched 196 special trains over 13 days of span for the passengers travelling for Chhath Pooja in order to accommodate the heavy trafficking. If on an average a train with 15 cars of 7 sleeper class, 6, 2 and 1 each of 3AC, 2AC and 1AC respectively alongwith 2 cars of general class then it carries a strength of around 1300 passengers. Seeing the situation of the current year it can be sensed the trains are running in full capacity during this festival and taking an average of 1500 passengers travelling in one train, having considered that there are more than 15 coaches in many trains, then the number of passengers travelling in 196 trains per day turns out to be 2,94,000. Seeing that the routine trains are operating as per schedule in addition to the special trains it can be said that over 5,00,000 passengers may be travelling this year for Chhath Pooja. For instance, if an average spending on ticket amounts to a minimum of Rs. 500/- then the average minimum spending on just the tickets amounts to Rs. 25 Crore. If this is just a minimum spending on ticket, the distribution of money that takes place during the festivity and its economic impact can be very well imagined. This is just an observation of Railways, the same may be the scenario in Road Transportation and part of Air transportation. On talking to a auto driver working in Delhi but belonging to Uttar Pradesh it was known that he drives his auto from Delhi to Ballia, Uttar Pradesh for Chhath Pooja taking his family in it, he said that there is huge rush in the modes of public transportation and there is a risk of availability of tickets hence he felt travelling through his own auto rikshaw along with family was better. It takes him around 15-16 hours to reach and he can have some stoppage as per requirement. The amount of spending on petrol and a pre-check on repair before leaving for a long journey again adds to petroleum and auto industry. Also, there must be other people both from auto rikshaw/ cab drivers to households going on their own vehicle, the number these cannot be predicted but can be sensed that there distribution of wealth that takes place during this festival is on very large scale. The food industry along with the transportation industry earns the benefit of complement economically.
Also, there are people who do not travel to the native land but celebrate the festival in the states and cities where they reside for work etc. Their buying becomes an income for other states too. Often the banks of the rivers or water reservoirs of Delhi and Mumbai, the major metro cities of Bharat are found to be crowded on the day of Chhath Pooja, the other cities where people celebrate this festivals also witness the celebration. The purchase of worship related products and new apparels benefit the industry as well as the sole vendors, MSME industries and each section of the society. The economic benefit reaches from the poor to big industries during the Mahaparv.
The gleaming eyes of a child, charm of a newlywed woman, the smile of an elderly person conveying the sense of contentment and pride, the determination of mother/vrati (one of observes fast), the excitement of natives and the dedication of all the family members in preparation and performance of rituals reveal the alluring carving on a huge canvas names Chhath Mahaparv. Probably the entire sacred atmosphere of the festival makes it grand as the name itself speaks of its glory and hence it is termed as festival of festivals; “Chhath: The Mahaparv”.
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