Chhath is an ancient Hindu Vedic festival historically native to Nepal and Indian

states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.[4][5][6][7] The Chhath Puja is

dedicated to the Sun and his wife Usha in order to thank them for bestowing the
bounties of life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes. Chhath
does not involve any idol worship.[8] This festival is observed by Nepalese and
Indian people, along with their diaspora.[9] While it is a Hindu festival, some
Muslims also celebrate Chhath.[10]

The rituals of the festival are rigorous and are observed over a period of four
days.[11] They include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water
(Vratta), standing in water for long periods of time, and offering prasad (prayer
offerings) and arghya to the setting and rising sun.[12] Some devotees also perform
a prostration march as they head for the river banks.[13]

Environmentalists claim that Chhath is the most eco-friendly Hindu festival.[14]

[15] Although the festival is observed most elaborately in Madhesh (southern)
region of Nepal and Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and UP, it is also more
prevalent in areas where migrants from those areas have a presence. It is
celebrated in all Northern regions and major Northern urban centers in India. The
festival is celebrated in the regions including but not exclusive to the northeast
region of India, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Rajasthan[16][17] Bangalore,[18] Mauritius, Fiji, South Africa, Trinidad
and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, other parts of the Caribbean, United States,
United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Macau,
Japan, and Indonesia.

The word chhath means sixth[citation needed] in Nepali, Maithili and Bhojpuri
languages and the festival is celebrated on the sixth day of the month Kārtika of
the Hindu luni-solar Bikram Sambat calendar. The word is a Prakrit derivation from
the Sanskrit ṣaṣṭhi, meaning sixth.It is the longest and most important festival
after navratri.

The very first day of chhath starts exactly 4 days from Diwali and last for 4 more
days. This day the people who observe fast take bath at a river or pond and prepare
lunch (consisting of rice, dal mixed with pumpkin, made in pure ghee).

The second day (5th day from Diwali) is known as kharna or kheer- roti. In which
the kheer( A Indian recipe where rice is prepared with sweetened milk instead of
water) and chapati ( called roti in many Indian provinces). The people observe fast
for the full day without taking even water and eat this kheer-roti as dinner after
offering it to the rising moon and Goddess Ganga. This is the only time when they
eat or drink anything from the starting of the day till the last day of chhath.

The third day is the main festival day (exactly 6th day from Diwali) of chhath.[20]
The devotees maintain 'nirjal vrat(vrata)' ( Fast without even taking a drop of
water ) on the third day. It mainly consist of going on river bank and offering
'argha' ( offering of fruits and sweets in winnow ) and surya namaskar to the
setting sun followed by the next day (exactly 7th day from Diwali) event of
offering argha and surya namaskar to the rising sun on the fourth or last day of
chhath. The fast is then come to end after offering argha to rising sun. In this
way, nearly 42 hours of strict penance comes to an end.