In the 94th episode of his Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister said, "The festival of Chhath is also an example of Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat. Today, wherever the people of Bihar and Purvanchal are in any corner of the country, Chhath is being celebrated with great pomp"
He said Chhath is now getting organized on a large scale in different districts of Maharashtra along with Delhi, Mumbai and many parts of Gujarat.
"I do remember that earlier in Gujarat, Chhath Puja was not performed to this extent. But with the passage of time, the colours of Chhath Puja have started getting dissolved in almost the whole of Gujarat. I am also very happy to see this. Nowadays we see, how many grand pictures of Chhath Puja come from abroad too. That is, the rich heritage of India, our faith, is reinforcing its identity in every corner of the world," he said.
"So today, along with worshipping the Sun, why not also discuss his boon? This blessing of Sun God is - solar energy," PM Modi said.
Chhath Puja is an ancient Hindu Vedic festival that is performed to seek blessings from the Sun God for a healthy, happy, and prosperous life. It is believed that sunlight has cures for various diseases and conditions. Taking a dip in the holy river is also considered to have certain medicinal and spiritual benefits. The festival requires maintaining the utmost ritualistic purity.
Also referred to as Surya Shashti, Chhath, Mahaparv, Chhath Parv, Dala Puja, Pratihar and Dala Chhath, the four-day-long festival is dedicated to the deity Surya and Shashthi Devi.
