Hectic yet fulfilling...

It was after a gap of 10 years that I went home for Chhath puja. And the experience was awesome... out of the world...!!

The very same city... home... even people...everything appears so different...!! There is only one purpose... only one focus... to worship...to pray... to seek blessings... to ask for forgiveness!! I don't think there is any other festival that is so elaborate... so difficult... yet so meaningful to our existence...!! We worship... Sun God... the eternal source of all energy...and in turn of life!! Interestingly, "Sun" is one of the Gods which is worshipped in various religion ... and not only in Hinduism...!! Another special thing is that we pray the "setting" sun as well as the "rising" sun...!!

This puja is one of its kinds as it does not involve any "idol" worshipping. On all the four days of the puja...you are occupied with one or the other rituals associated with it...!! This is an extensive and very elaborate puja... that engrosses you completely... and you could actually feel the vibes...!! You voluntarily get involved and you could feel peace within and ...satisfaction!! The surrounding appears so serene... so pure... just magical...!! You could experience it in air... a special feeling of warmth... of belonging...!! You feel drawn to your roots ... to your folks...!!

I never realized what it meant to me. May be I had drifted too far away from the magical spell of it. But this time as if 'Chhathi Maiya' wanted me to be there... and I was there to re-live the magic called "Chhath"...