Anushka Sharma sends heartfelt wishes for Chhath Puja, shares photo of traditional celebration at Mumbai beach

November 7 marks the occasion of Chhath Puja, the celebration dedicated to the sun God, observed by millions of Indian women. Actress Anushka Sharma also shared her heartfelt wishes to all the mums out there. On her Instagram Stories, Anushka posted a photo from Juhu Beach, Mumbai, where several women were performing the traditional puja, and wrote, "Chhath Pooja ki shubhkamnaye." 

Chhath Puja is dedicated to the mighty Sun God and his wife Usha. For generations, women in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have celebrated this puja, which occurs 6 days after Diwali or on the 6th day of the month Kartika. Chhath Puja, it’s a 4-day long celebration when women follow strict fasting, pray to the Sun and bathe in the river. 

Chhath is one of the significant celebrations in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country.

While Chhath is usually celebrated with a ton of energy in Kartik month according to the Hindu calendar, however, in numerous regions of India, the celebration is also held during Chaitra. The Chhath Puja during this month is additionally referred to as Chaiti Chhath. In certain parts of northern India, particularly the Braj area, it is also called Yamuna Chhath.

The Chhath Puja festival began with Nahay-Khay on the Chaturthi Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha, focused on purification and preparation, followed by Kharna on Panchami Tithi, Chhath Puja on Sashti, and concluding with Usha Arghya on Saptami Tithi. The festivities will conclude on November 8. Chhath Puja spans four days and involves strict rituals and fasting to express gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth.

The festival is primarily celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Nepal, as well as by the diaspora from these regions. Talking about Anushka's work front, she will be next seen in the upcoming sports biopic film 'Chakda Xpress' which is based on the life of former Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami and will stream exclusively on OTT. The final release date of the film is still awaited.

(With inputs from ANI)