Chhath Puja, being celebrated from Saturday, October 25th to Tuesday, October 28th, 2025, beautifully blends science, spirituality, and nature worship. While deeply religious, every ritual of this four-day festival is rooted in scientific principles that connect our bodies to cosmic energy. Let's explore the science behind the rituals and the story of Chhathi Maiya.
The Science of the Four-Day Rituals
Each day of Chhath Puja has a specific purpose that aligns with scientific principles of detoxification and energy absorption.
Day 1: Nahay Khay (Detoxification): The festival begins with a single, pure satvik meal. This practice of eating clean, simple food prepares the digestive system for the upcoming fast, acting as a gentle detoxification process.
Day 2: Kharna (Intermittent Fasting): The full-day fast, broken for a short period in the evening, triggers a state similar to intermittent fasting. This can help improve metabolic health and mental discipline, preparing the body for the rigorous 36-hour fast ahead.
Day 3 & 4: Sandhya & Usha Arghya (Solar Energy & Hydrotherapy): This is the core of the festival's scientific aspect.
Safe Sun Exposure: The timings for arghya (sunrise and sunset) are when the sun's UV radiation is at its lowest, making it the safest time to absorb sunlight. This boosts Vitamin D production, which regulates immunity and mood.
Hydrotherapy: Standing in water calms the nervous system and improves blood circulation. The water acts as a conduit, and when combined with the sun's energy, it is believed to detoxify and rejuvenate the body's energy channels (prana).
Why Is Chhath Puja Done in Water?
Standing in water while offering prayers to the Sun is one of the most defining images of Chhath Puja. This practice is both spiritual and scientific.
Water acts as a natural conductor and reflector of solar energy. When sunlight reflects off the water’s surface, it increases the body’s absorption of beneficial rays in a balanced way. The process is said to charge the devotee’s energy field, helping them feel more peaceful and refreshed.
From a health point of view, immersion in water has cooling and calming effects on the nervous system. It improves blood circulation and promotes relaxation much like modern hydrotherapy.
Spiritually, water represents purity and surrender. Devotees stand in waist-deep water to symbolize humility before nature and the divine. Offering Arghya in water signifies harmony between two essential life elements: fire (the Sun) and water reminding us that all forms of life depend on their balance.
Environmental awareness is another major aspect. Before Chhath, people clean riverbanks and ponds, ensuring the ghats are free from pollution. This not only maintains hygiene but also fosters collective responsibility toward nature, an important message in today’s world.
Is Chhathi Maiya the sister of Surya?
According to Hindu mythology, Chhathi Maiya is considered the sister of Surya Dev (the Sun God). She is also known as Usha, which means “dawn” in Sanskrit. However, in folk traditions, she is worshipped as Shashthi Devi — the goddess who protects children and blesses devotees with health, happiness, and prosperity.
In the Brahma Vaivarta Purana and other ancient texts, Shashthi Devi is described as the manifestation of Mother Katyayani, one of the forms of Goddess Durga. Over time, she came to be lovingly known as Chhathi Maiya - the goddess associated with the number six (“chhath” means six in Sanskrit).
She is believed to nurture and protect offspring, which is why many women observe Chhath Puja for the well-being of their children and family. Worshipping both the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya symbolizes the balance between energy and nurturing - masculine and feminine powers working together to sustain life on Earth.
In essence, Chhath Puja is a profound reminder that ancient traditions are often a seamless blend of science and spirituality. The festival teaches us that our ancestors' rituals were not born of blind faith, but of a deep, intuitive understanding of the natural world. The worship of the Sun at its safest and most beneficial hours, the use of water as a therapeutic conduit, and the discipline of fasting all ground deep spiritual devotion in tangible, scientific benefits.
