For millions of people from Bihar, Chhath Puja is much more than a religious festival. It is an emotion, a family tradition, and a reminder of home. Every year, as the festival approaches, the familiar sounds of Chhath songs, the aroma of freshly prepared thekua, and the sight of devotees carrying bamboo baskets filled with fruits and offerings bring back memories of their roots.
What makes Chhath Puja particularly special is that its celebrations are no longer limited to Bihar or neighbouring states. From Delhi and Mumbai to London, New York, Dubai, Mauritius, and Australia, people from the Bihari community come together to celebrate this ancient festival with the same faith and devotion. Even thousands of miles away from their hometowns, they make sure that their traditions continue.
A Festival That Travels Beyond Geographical Boundaries
Over the years, people from Bihar have moved to different parts of India and the world for education, employment, business, and better opportunities. While their lifestyles and surroundings have changed, many have continued to hold on to their cultural traditions. Chhath Puja is one such tradition that has travelled with them.
In cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune, Chhath Puja has gradually become a major community celebration. Local ponds, riverbanks, lakes, and specially prepared water bodies turn into gathering places where thousands of devotees come together to offer prayers to the Sun God.
In Delhi-NCR, for instance, Chhath Puja is celebrated on a grand scale across several residential areas and public ghats. Families begin preparations days in advance, while community organisations and volunteers arrange facilities for devotees. Similar scenes can be witnessed in Mumbai, where the Bihari community gathers near water bodies to observe the rituals.
For many migrants, celebrating Chhath away from their native villages is a way of staying connected to their families, childhood memories, and cultural identity.
From Bihar to Foreign Lands: Chhath Finds a Global Home
The growing popularity of Chhath Puja outside India reflects how deeply people remain connected to their roots, even after settling abroad.
In countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Mauritius, Nepal, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates, members of the Bihari community organise Chhath celebrations with great enthusiasm. Community groups and cultural associations often take the initiative to arrange suitable locations, coordinate rituals, and bring families together.
In the United States, particularly in areas with a sizeable Indian population, families and community groups organise gatherings to celebrate the festival. In the United Kingdom, Bihari families come together to observe the rituals and introduce younger generations to their cultural heritage.
Mauritius has a particularly interesting connection with the festival. The island nation has a longstanding Indian heritage, with many families tracing their ancestry to people who migrated from the Indian subcontinent, including Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. As a result, Chhath Puja holds cultural and religious importance for sections of the Indian-origin population there.
In Dubai and other parts of the Gulf, where many Indians work and live, devotees also make efforts to celebrate Chhath despite busy schedules and the challenges of observing traditional rituals away from home. The surroundings may be different, but the spirit of the festival remains remarkably similar.
Thekua, Chhath Songs and Memories of Home
Ask someone from Bihar what makes Chhath Puja special, and the answer is likely to go beyond the religious rituals. It is also about the little things that make the festival memorable.
The preparation of thekua, the cleaning of the house, the arrangement of fruits, the decoration of bamboo baskets, and the traditional folk songs are all essential parts of the celebration.
For Biharis living abroad, recreating these traditions can sometimes be challenging. Finding certain ingredients, traditional utensils, bamboo soop, and other puja essentials is not always easy. Yet families make special efforts to arrange everything.
Chhath songs, particularly traditional folk compositions associated with the festival, play an important role in bringing people closer to their roots. Even when played thousands of miles away from Bihar, these songs create an atmosphere that reminds people of their childhood and family celebrations.
For many, preparing thekua in a foreign kitchen or listening to familiar Chhath songs with family members becomes an emotional experience. It is a way of bringing a small part of Bihar into their homes.
A Festival That Brings Communities Together
One of the most beautiful aspects of Chhath Puja is its ability to bring people together. Unlike celebrations that are limited to individual families, Chhath often involves entire neighbourhoods and communities.
People who may not know each other personally come forward to help with arrangements, cleaning ghats, organising offerings, and assisting devotees. Volunteers, local associations, and cultural groups play an important role in making these celebrations possible.
This spirit of togetherness is equally visible outside India. Bihari associations and Indian cultural organisations often organise community celebrations, allowing people from different backgrounds to participate and understand the festival.
In many places, people who are not originally from Bihar also show interest in Chhath Puja. They visit the ghats, witness the rituals, enjoy the traditional atmosphere, and learn about the significance of worshipping the setting and rising Sun. In this way, Chhath Puja is gradually becoming a cultural bridge between communities.
Passing Traditions to the Next Generation
Perhaps one of the most important reasons behind the growing popularity of Chhath Puja across the world is the effort to introduce younger generations to their cultural roots. Children growing up in cities like London, New York, Sydney, Singapore, or Dubai may not have the same childhood experiences as their parents or grandparents in Bihar. They may not have witnessed the traditional village celebrations or grown up listening to Chhath songs every year.
However, when their families celebrate the festival, they get an opportunity to understand its rituals, stories, and values.
Parents explain why devotees offer prayers to both the setting and rising Sun, why cleanliness is so important, and why the festival involves such discipline and devotion. Children also learn about traditional food, folk music, family customs, and the importance of community participation. These small experiences help ensure that Chhath Puja remains relevant to future generations, even as they grow up in different cultural environments.
More Than a Religious Festival, It Is an Identity
Chhath Puja represents much more than worshiping the Sun God. It reflects gratitude towards nature, respect for water bodies, discipline, family values, and community spirit.
Its celebrations across the world also tell a larger story about migration and cultural identity. People may leave their hometowns, build careers in different countries, and adapt to new lifestyles, but festivals like Chhath keep them connected to where they come from.
For someone living abroad, standing near a water body during Chhath Puja and offering Arghya to the rising Sun can bring back memories of their village, family, and childhood. The experience may take place in a different country, but the emotions remain the same.
As the festival continues to reach new places, its significance is also expanding beyond geographical boundaries. What began as a deeply rooted tradition of Bihar has become a shared expression of faith and cultural belonging for Biharis across the world.
Ultimately, Chhath Puja reminds us that home is not always a place where we live. Sometimes, it is a tradition we carry with us, wherever life takes us. And for millions of Biharis around the world, Chhath Puja is one of the strongest connections to that home.
