For the first time ever on a work day, I did not set my morning alarm. As I rested my head on the pillow, I was comforted by the soothing sound of snores intertwined with silence. I was sleeping on a new bed, in a new house, in a room with five people from a family that I had just met; and yet, I felt calm.
I woke up to the sound of hymns being hummed, morning murmurs, and spoons clanging against metal pots. No need for an alarm. It was 4:30 in the morning; right on schedule.
I walked over someone sleeping on the floor and asked to borrow a shirt, as I had not come prepared to sleep over. After half an hour of getting ready, thirty people headed to the roof. The sun continued to sleep, as dawn had not yet broken. As silky pink rays slithered through the hazy morning sky, the puja began.
Chhath Puja
Chhath Puja is one of the cardinal Hindu festivals in Jharkhand and many neighboring states. During the festival, worshippers thank Surya Bhagwan, Sun God, for sustaining life on Earth and for their blessings received. Devotees pray to Surya Bhagwan for a healthy and prosperous life.
In yogic philosophy, it is believed that physical beings are energy channels which can absorb solar radiation at different levels based on specific mental and physical conditions. Solar radiation is believed to heal the body from many diseases, so Chhath Puja rituals prepare the body to maximize absorption of cosmic solar energy (“Significance of Chhath puja”).
The entire Chhath Puja is four days long. To fully immerse in the ritual, devotees fast from food and water until the ceremony. Puja offerings, called Prasad, are prepared throughout the day. Devotees go to the river at night to worship Surya Bhagwan, and on the fourth day they offer bhorwa arghya (morning offerings) at the river to the Sun as it rises (“Rituals and traditions of Chhath puja”). Throughout the puja, hymns are sung as well. This is just a general summary of the traditions, as the rituals are quite complex and require more description than I can fit in this blog.
My Chhath Puja experience
On the second day of Chhath Puja, I met my friend in hopes of him helping me find a bed frame. After our successful trip to a local woodworker, we walked back to his house. I was greeted by numerous kids and a dozen uncles and aunties. After hanging out for a bit, I got called downstairs to receive an offering from the puja, where three of the aunties hand-fed me and applied a bindi to my forehead. More food was served to me after that, and I was invited to partake in the final two days of Chhath Puja. I left his house that night the most full I had felt in a long time; full of gratitude for the hospitality, full of anticipation for the next day’s ceremony, and full of food.
The next day, I went to my friend’s house straight from work, missing most of the ritual. We discussed the final day’s ceremony, which would begin around five in the morning. We quickly concluded that I would not be able to find transportation to his house that early, so the only option was to sleep over.
For the next six hours, my friend’s younger cousins curiously bombarded me with questions about every topic under the sun, from family to cricket (which I have minimal knowledge on) to politics to video games and so much more. My friend and his brother were worried I would be overwhelmed, so they kept checking in with me, but I was loving every second of it. His cousins taught me how to play carrom, which I was quite inept at, and six of us huddled around my phone as we competed in Ludo King. I was having a blast, but above all, I felt welcomed.
The cousins were gung-ho about pulling an all-nighter, which reminded me of sleepovers with my cousins growing up. But, after six hours of constant conversation, we decided to rest. I slept in a room with five of my friend’s cousins, and awoke to the sound of puja preparation.
After getting ready, we headed upstairs, and the puja began. Typically, people go to the river for this part of the puja, but my friend’s family did not go this year. To supplement this, they built a pool about twenty centimeters deep out of bricks and cloth to symbolize the river. At first, only those who had fasted entered the pool, while everyone else worshiped from outside. Those with dry feet had other ritual responsibilities in tandem with those in the pool, creating harmony in worship. I was encouraged to partake, which I gladly accepted.
I had just witnessed and participated in my first puja, and I know it will not be my last.
Curiosity and courtesy
After leaving the puja, I reflected on the overall experience from both my perspective and the family’s perspective. Jamshedpur, the city where we live, does not host many tourists. My friend told me that I was the first foreigner to ever go to his house, let alone stay over. For some of the kids, it was their first time talking in-depth with someone from the United States. His family’s fascination towards me was rooted in pure curiosity, and as their guest, I was more than happy to indulge.
My curiosity did not diverge far from theirs. This was my first time experiencing joint family life in an Indian household, so I asked numerous questions about daily activities, family relations, and interconnectedness. Chhath Puja was obviously also new, so I queried about the rituals. I went into the experience with no expectations, just being excited to meet so many new people and be accepted into someone’s home, which allowed me to fully enjoy the loving chaos.
During the morning ritual, I realized that I had made a ceremonial faux pas. Before the ritual, my friend asked if I wanted to bathe, which I turned down for no particular reason. I was asked by three different people, but did not feel the need. In hindsight, I should have taken their offers. What I did not realize was that everyone was supposed to cleanse their bodies, minds, and souls by bathing before taking part in the puja. Despite this, at the time, nobody directly told me that it was necessary, and they still let me fully participate in the ritual. Maybe they were lenient because everything was new to me as a foreigner and guest, or maybe there is another reason I am unaware of. Regardless, I appreciated their understanding and willingness to include me in the ceremony while not properly cleansed.
During the puja, I was told to worship Surya Bhagwan by stepping in the pool while holding a jug of water, raising the jug toward the rising Sun, and pouring the water into the pool while praying to Surya Bhagwan. As someone who follows another religion, I am often conflicted in these scenarios; I love learning about other religions and witnessing their ceremonies, but struggle with the consciousness of participating in rituals while having different beliefs. I could write a whole separate blog about this topic. When I was told to worship, I followed along for two reasons: my desire to fully immerse myself in the puja, and my respect for the family hosting me. I figured that in that moment, with them telling me to offer, the respectful choice was to follow along. I love moments like these because they get me thinking about how to navigate intercultural relationships and practices with courtesy and grace.
Belonging
I did not know many people in Jamshedpur at the time of Chhath Puja, and I had been missing my family. I had been longing for a sense of belonging, and my time with the family temporarily satisfied that.
I am grateful for this experience for how it shaped my hope for the next eight months in Jamshedpur. It showed me that I will be able to find community and become immersed outside of work.
During my stay, one of the younger cousins kept asking me when I will come back. I hope soon.
Reference
“Rituals and Traditions of Chhath Puja.” Chhath.Org, www.chhath.org/rituals-and-traditions.html.
“Significance of Chhath Puja.” Chhath.Org, www.chhath.org/significance-ofchhath-parva.html.
