The Chhath Puja Festival sees thousand of Hindu devotee's across India and Nepal pay homage to Surya, the sun god, hoping to bring well-being, prosperity and happiness to their loved ones.
A Hindu devotee holds offerings as she worships Surya, the sun god, in the waters of a pond during the religious festival of Chhath puja in Kolkata, IndiaRupak De Chowdhuri/ Reuters
The festival is observed on the sixth and seventh days after Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, and lasts for four days. During this time, rituals are performed such as fasting, holy bathing, abstaining from drinking water (Bata), standing in water for long periods of time and offering prashad (prayer offerings) and arghya to the setting and rising sun. In Hinduism, Sun worship is believed to help cure a variety of diseases and ensure the longevity and prosperity of family members, friends, and elders. IBTimesUK presents some of the best photos from Chhath puja:
A Hindu woman takes a dip in the waters of Sun Lake before worshipping the Sun god during the religious festival of Chhat puja in Chandigarh, IndiaAjay Verma/ ReutersHindu devotees worship the Sun god in the waters of the Sabarmati river during the religious festival of Chhat puja in Ahmedabad, IndiaAmit Dave/ ReutersIndian Hindu devotees offer prayers during Chhath puja on the banks of the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati, IndiaBiju Boro/ AFPAn Indian Hindu devotee worships the setting sun while celebrating Chhath puja on the banks of the Yamuna river bank in New Delhi, IndiaSajjad Hussain/ AFP
An Indian Hindu devotee offers prayers as she worships the setting sun while celebrating Chhath puja on the banks of the Yamuna river bank in New Delhi, IndiaSajjad Hussain/ AFPIndian Hindu devotees perform rituals on a road near the banks of the river Ganges during Chhath puja in Kolkata, IndiaDibyangshu Sarkar/ AFPHindu devotees worship the Sun god in the waters of the Brahmaputra river during Chhath puja in Guwahati, IndiaAnuwar Hazarika/ ReutersA Hindu devotee lies on a road before stepping over the child in a ritual to seek blessings from the Sun god during the religious festival of Chhath puja in Kolkata, IndiaRupak De Chowdhuri/ ReutersIndian Hindu devotees offer prayers during Chhath Puja in the Sarovar of the Durgiana temple in Amritsar, IndiaNarinder Nanu/ AFPHindu devotees hold earthen lamps as they worship the rising sun at the corner of a pond during the religious festival of Chhath puja in Kolkata, IndiaRupak De Chowdhuri/ Reuters
