The auspicious fast of Hal Chhath is observed annually on the sixth lunar day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadrapad. This sacred festival is known by various regional names such as Har Chhath, Hal Chhat, Lalahi Chhath, Chandan Chhath, Kamar Chhath, and Khamar Chhath. According to religious traditions and ancient scriptures, this day marks the divine birth anniversary of Lord Balram, the elder brother of Lord Krishna. This year, the sixth tithi will commence on the morning of September 2 at 06:12 AM and will conclude on the morning of September 3 at 04:25 AM. Following the traditional Udaya Tithi calculations, the Hal Chhath festival will be celebrated on September 2. Mothers observe this rigorous fast with deep devotion to seek divine blessings for the longevity, health, and bright future of their children.
Auspicious Timings and Yoga Combinations
Several highly auspicious yoga combinations are forming on the day of Hal Chhath this year. According to astrological calculations, the Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga and Ravi Yoga will both remain active concurrently. The Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga will begin at 01:43 AM on September 3 and will last until 06:00 AM on the same morning. Similarly, the Ravi Yoga will also be in effect during the exact same timeframe from 01:43 AM to 06:00 AM on September 3. Performing worship rituals and prayers during these powerful conjunctions is considered highly meritorious and beneficial.
Essential Puja Materials and Offerings
The observance of Hal Chhath requires specific ritualistic items for proper worship. The essential samagri includes a sacred oil lamp, the vrat katha book, buffalo milk, pure ghee, curd, cow or buffalo dung, mahua fruits, various flowers and sacred leaves, jowar dhani, aipan paste, small earthen cups, devli chhevli, sacred red thread kalava, dhoop, and camphor. All these traditional items are arranged meticulously to offer prayers to Mother Chhath and Lord Balram.
Step-by-Step Puja Vidhi and Rituals
On the morning of Hal Chhath, fasting women take a ritual bath and resolve to observe the fast with utmost sincerity. A symbolic portrait of Goddess Chhath is drawn on the household wall using red geru soil, mud, or buffalo dung. Following this, traditional worship is offered to Lord गणेश and Mother Gaura. The sacred images are adorned using a specially prepared paste known as aipan. To make aipan, raw rice designated for the ritual is soaked in water for a brief period, strained, and then ground smoothly on a traditional silbatta stone grinder mixed with turmeric. This vibrant yellow paste is used to decorate the divine portrait. Afterwards, a small symbolic pond is created right inside the home by leveling and smearing a clean patch of ground with mud, where branches of jarberi, palash, and kansi trees are planted. The devotees sit around this makeshift pond to perform prayers and listen to the sacred legends.
Strict Dietary Rules: What to Eat and Avoid
The dietary restrictions associated with the Hal Chhath fast are extremely strict. Consumption of any regular cultivated grains is strictly forbidden throughout the day. Women observing this fast strictly avoid eating any grains or vegetables that have been grown in cultivated fields or harvested using a plow. Once the worship rituals and storytelling are completed, the fasting women partake only in specific uncultivated foods that grow naturally near water bodies, such as tinni rice, karemua saag, and pasai rice.
Religious Significance of Lord Balram and Hal Chhath
Lord Balram's primary divine weapons are the plow (hal) and the pestle (musal), which is why he is reverently addressed as Haldhar. According to mythological scriptures, Lord Balram is considered an incarnation of Adi Sheshnag. He was exceptionally skilled in mace warfare, and Kaurava warrior Duryodhana was notably his disciple. Worshipping the plow holds paramount importance on this special day. In the eastern districts of the country, this festival is affectionately celebrated as Lalahi Chhath, honoring the deep bond between mothers and their children.
