Chhath puja is a four-day festival for women of Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and parts of Odisha and Nepal

Women celebrate the Chhath festival to worship the Sun God. It is the practice to offer items from the seasonal harvest while the devotees take a dip in the holy water, chant mantras, and worship the Sun God and his wife Usha. The intention in short is to thank God for the nature, water, and wind he provides us. Women from northern states like Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and parts of Odisha and Nepal perform the rites. Purity is of utmost importance and devotees take the holy bath and follow by a period of abstinence or self-restraint. Some of them sleep on the floor for four days of the festival. Offerings are more or less the same for each and even the Muslims take part in the festivities. The basic purpose is to celebrate the wellness and prosperity of the family. Chhath Puja 2022: Four-day celebration across India.

The Rig Veda contains references of Chhath Puja. The worshippers chant some of the mantras from the Rig Veda texts as they offer prayers to the Sun. Sages from the Vedic era used to expose themselves to direct sunlight as they performed the puja. When Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya, he and Sita Devi observed a fast in honor of the Sun god and broke it only with the setting sun. Karna, the child of the Sun God and Kunti, used to offer prayers while standing in the water. Draupadi and the Pandavas also performed Chhath puja to get their kingdom back. The menu for the four-day festival is a long one with separate items for each day. It all boils down to an occasion to spread a message of goodness to society.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Health of Tuan Tuan, a male panda gifted by China to Taiwan, deteriorating

Storm Nalgae strikes the Philippines and leaves at least 72 dead

Spare is the title of Prince Harry’s 416-page memoir, publishers Penguin Random House

Tata and Airbus joint venture to make C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force

Climate change a matter of concern for the security of Britain

The United States, Japan and South Korea warn North Korea about serious consequences of any nuclear test

Elevator breakdown in the Grand Canyon Caverns trapped a group of tourists 210ft below the ground

A mini tornado in Croydon, South London, left a beer garden in shambles

Tensions increase between North and South Korea with exchange of warning shots off their western coast

Moody wants bows and arrows to eliminate Big Daddy (satire)

Moody was excited but, as is his rule, he maintained a straight face. It was the prediction of a learned astrologer that had sent him soaring to cloud nine. He had appeared in his sleep, that too in early morning with the message – ‘go after get Big Daddy, you are sure to get him’.
And, it is said that such early morning visions are always good omen.
‘You seem to be happy,’ his right hand man Jet Lee said. He had followed Moody into the chamber.
‘Have you ever seen me unhappy?’ Moody shot back.
‘With so much worries, no one is happy,’ Jet Lee philosophized.
‘I have always been an exception,’ Moody said. ‘I am setting new trends. I want tigers and cows to drink water from the same waterhole.’
‘I know,’ Jet Lee said. ‘With Big Brother retiring next year, how will you handle the super powers?’
‘Right now I want to handle another Big name,’ Moody said.
‘How big?’
‘Very big. He is Big Daddy who has unleashed terror in the world. None of the super powers have been able to rein him in.’

‘You mean the man who loves to behead people and get the process videoed?’
‘Yes. The super powers have launched airstrikes on his bases. They have sent drones to hunt him down. But he is sitting pretty. He has evaded every super power. I want him eliminated.’
‘That is a good idea,’ Jet Lee said.
‘What idea are you talking about?’ Sue Sharma asked as she entered.
‘The idea to eliminate Big Daddy,’ Jet Lee explained. ‘We will succeed where others have failed.’
‘Yes. We have shown our might to the world in the R-Day parade and we can do what others have failed to do.’
Pyari Kar and Vicky Singh joined the group. Moody had called them in. They were his defense experts.
‘Have you decided on which weapons you will use?'
‘We have our very own fighter aircraft and missiles.’
‘But – Big Daddy has fought off all those weapons. We must take him by surprise in his den. We must go in for unconventional weapons.’
‘You mean hypnotism?’
‘Well – that is an idea. But, I have an even better one.’
‘We could go in for the boomerang,’ Pyari Kar suggested. ‘Or – even develop a Sudarshan Chakra.’
‘We do not have that much time,’ Moody said. ‘I suggest a team of archers – armed with bows and arrows. Followed by teams of lathi (stick) wielding men. The lathi is a formidable weapon in trained hands, they can overpower any army.’
‘Right,’ Jet lee nodded. ‘Lord Rama used his bow and arrows to defeat the demon king Ravana – we can also do the same.’
‘Yes,’ Pyari Kar agreed. ‘Big Daddy is the Ravana of today.’
Moody heaved a sigh of relief and reached for the customary plates of dhokla and gathias. (to be continued …)


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Abhi Shake for industries to boost Bengal’s image (satire)

Rum Mudda reminds Moody about temples (satire)

Didi is allergic to anything red (satire)


Odisha offers windsurfing, snorkeling and other water sports on the Mahanadi River

Goat farming brings joy to people of Nag Tibba in Tehri

Foods that help to lower cholesterol levels and control heart disease


“The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar” - Disney’s upcoming television movie

'Avatar 2', sequel to 'Avatar' of 2009 expected to release in December 2017

Aamir Khan no longer the face of Incredible India


Bomb attack kills 9 persons in Cairo near road leading to Egyptian pyramids

Woman with fake passport in a British Airways flight from Ibiza leads to panic

Tourists to Morocco told by Foreign Office to be vigilant about possible terror attacks

Religion on Indian television

There is hardly anyone who is not afraid of God and prays to Him to save him out when he is in trouble. And, in order to ensure that we do not lose sights of our objectives, there are any number of programs dedicated to Gods and Goddesses. Yes, while some religions believe in one God, in the Hindu culture, there are innumerable Gods and Goddesses. One reason is, probably, the different dialects that exist in the country and the different cultures and food habits prevalent. Each group wants to be identified with a God or Goddess who is like one of the group.

Anyway, in order to cater to one and all, Indian TV channels have risen to the task remarkably well. Since television now is a 24X7 affair, most of the channels present religious programs in the early mornings – these end by 7am when regular transmissions take over.
Side by side, there are a few channels devoted entirely to religious programs that continue throughout the day and night.
And, religion is an integral part of practically each and every TV serial – since the fad is to have huge households, also known as joint families, there has to be an area earmarked for pujas to the Gods and Goddesses who are important to the family. There could be an idol of Lord Ganesh or an idol of Lord Narayana and Goddess Laxmi or idols of Lord Rama, Sita Devi and brother Lakshman.
The fact is that the family members will gather in this special area to pray – the prayers could be for the speedy recovery of a member of the family who has met with an accident and is on the death bed. Or – for the well-being of a kid that has been kidnapped. Or – to ensure that the husband is not distracted by any other woman.
The situations are innumerable and, at every step, they turn to God to help them out.
Of course, at festival times, the whole family gets together to pray – and the evil members take the opportunity to cook up some more evil plots that ultimately fail because of timely divine intervention. (to be continued …)

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)
A few more must reads -
Maggi noodles are banned in India but, the same Maggi is safe in the UK

Top Ramen follows Maggi and goes off the shelves

India’s dreams of a Utopia vanishing, courtesy arrogant and corrupt ministers

Oil giant Shell to drill for oil in the Arctic off the Alaskan coast

Venezuela facing shortage of beer


Boko Haram unleashes another round of terror on Nigeria – kill 150 in Borno state

ISIS child executioners shoot and kill 25 Syrian soldiers in Palmyra ruins in public

Britain wakes from slumber after Tunisia deaths – to debate airstrikes on ISIS targets,br>

Mangoes are forever

Ripe mangoes and mango cakes or amsatta