Cooperators across the country greeted the nation on the occasion of Chhath Puja. Many cooperators belonging to the Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and also those of them who have spread across India celebrated the festival with gusto and enthusiasm.
NCUI President Dileepbhai Sanghani, Kribhco Chairman Dr Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi, among others took to social media to greet the nation on this occasion.
Sanghani wrote, “May this Chhath Puja bring joy, prosperity and unity among the fellow citizens of India,”.
“Warm wishes and congratulations to all of you on the great festival of #Chhathpuja. May Chhath Maiya bless everyone with happiness and prosperity. I pray that Suryadev always brings happiness and prosperity in the lives of our farmers”, wrote IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi.
Bihar’s leading Cooperator and Nafed Vice-Chairman Dr Sunil Kumar Singh was seen worshipping the Sun God. He also shared the photographs of performing rituals with the Indian Cooperative.
This festival is celebrated with particular fervour in Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh. Considered to be one of the eco-friendliest religious festivals, Chhath Puja lasts 4 days. It is celebrated twice a year in the months of Chaitra and Kartika.
Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival historically native to the Indian subcontinent, is celebrated six days after Deepavali dedicating prayers to the solar deity, Surya, to show gratitude and thankfulness for bestowing the bounties of life on earth.
Chhathi Maiya, the sixth form of Devi Prakriti and Lord Surya’s sister is worshipped as the Goddess of the festival. The rituals observed include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water (vrata), standing in water, and offering prasad and arghya to the setting and rising sun.
Devotees also perform a prostration march as they head for the river banks. Tweeting about the Chhath Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “Today Chhath, the great festival of sun worship, is being celebrated. This tradition is a proof of how much our culture and faith are related to nature. I pray that the sixth Maya blesses everyone with prosperity and welfare. #MannKiBaat.
In another tweet he said “Chhath Pooja is closely linked to the sun…during today’s #MannKiBaat highlighted our nation’s strides in solar energy.”