Chhath Puja day 2: Celebrating Kharna with devotion and kheer
As the festival of Chhath Puja unfolds, Day 2, known as Kharna or Lohanda, deepens the devotional journey with a day-long fast and a grand meal at sunset. Falling on November 6 this year, Kharna is a time of purification, preparation, and a wholesome serving of the sweet, cherished dessert Rasiya kheer. This day brings devotees, or *vratis* closer to the heart of Chhath as they observe nirjala fasting, where no food or water is consumed from sunrise until sunset.
What happens on Kharna?Kharna starts bright and early for the devoted women and men observing the fast. After a morning bath, they begin preparations by gathering ritual items like fruits, bamboo *soop* baskets, diyas, and offerings, including sugarcane, coconuts, and other fruits like singhara (water chestnuts) and banana...