Shashthi (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) also referred to as Chhath is the sixth day of the lunar fortnight in the Hindu calendar.[1] It is tithi (lunar day) of a paksha, the fourteen-day phase of the moon.
Etymology[edit | edit source]
The word comes from the Sanskrit cardinal ṣaṣ (six), whence the ordinal number (linguistics) ṣaṣṭha (sixth), fem. ṣaṣṭhī (days of the paksha are feminine gender).
Occasions[edit | edit source]
The sixth tithi, especially in the waxing period (shuklapaksha), is important in several rituals including:
- Durga Puja (September–October, east India, Bengal)
- Sitalsasthi[2] (May–June, Orissa, neighbouring regions)
- Skanda (Kandha) Shashti or Subramanya Shashti[3] (November–December, south India, Tamil Nadu)
- Chandra Shashti (Channan Chhath): It is celebrated on Krishna Paksha Shahsti of Bhadrapada month. It is quite popular among Dogra community of Jammu division.[4] The day is celebrated as birthday of Balarama and hence also called Balram Chhath or Baldev Chhath.
- Surya Shashti (Chhath), a major sun-worshiping day of Hindus is celebrated on sixth day Shukla Paksha of Kartika.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Monier-Williams, Monier (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: ...with Special Reference to Greek, Latin, Gothic, German, Anglo-saxon... Clarendon. p. 1034.
- ↑ "Festivals of India : Sital Shashti". Aryabhatt.com. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
- ↑ Kannikeswaran, Kanniks. "Skanda Sashti". Indiantemples.com. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ↑ Śāstrī, Rāmanātha; Mohana, Madana; Langeh, Baldev Singh (1970). (Rajata jayantī abhinandana grantha) (in हिन्दी). Ḍogarī Saṃsthā.
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