Chhath Festival begins all across Nepal, especially in Mithila region

MAHOTTARI — With the conclusion of Deepawali, the four-day Chhath festival began today on Kartik Shukla Chaturthi, bringing vibrant festivity and bustling crowds to villages and markets across Nepal, especially the Mithila region.

Devotional folk songs dedicated to the Sun God and Chhathi Mata are echoing through households, creating a deeply spiritual atmosphere.

Residents have been actively clearing riverbanks, ponds, and water reservoirs to construct and decorate Chhath ghats, with youth playing a prominent role in setting up lights and festive ornaments. Markets are crowded with shoppers purchasing bananas, sugarcane, turmeric plants, ginger, and essential earthen and bamboo items—such as dhaki, dala, and clay pots—which are traditionally required for the rituals.

Observed from Chaturthi to Saptami, the festival begins with the Nahay-Khay ritual on the first day, followed by Kharna on the second day. On the third and fourth days, devotees offer Argha to the setting and rising sun, respectively. Known for its strict emphasis on purity, the festival transcends caste and community divisions, uniting people in shared devotion and social harmony.