Chhath Puja festival in India
On Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the Sun god for sustaining life on earth. The festival is celebrated six days after Diwali.
- Hindu devotees offer prayers standing in the waters of the Arabian Sea at sun set during Chhath Puja festival in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Nov 17, 2015. On Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the Sun god for sustaining life on earth. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
- A Nepalese Hindu woman holds offerings as she worships the sun in the Bagmati River in Kathmandu on November17, 2015, during the Chhath Festival which honours the sun god. People pay their respects to both the rising and setting sun during the Chhath festival when people express their thanks and seek blessings from the forces of nature. (AFP Photo/Prakash Mathema)
- Indian Hindu devotees offer prayers to the sun during the Chhath festival on the banks of the Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad on November 17, 2015. Hindu devotees pay obeisance to both the rising and the setting sun in the Chhath festival when people express their thanks and seek the blessings of the forces of nature, mainly the sun and river. (AFP Photo/Noah Seelam)
- Indian Hindu devotees offer prayers during the Chhat festival on the banks of the river Yamuna in New Delhi on November 17, 2015. Chhath festival, also known as Surya Pooja (worship of the sun), is observed in eastern parts of India where homage is paid to the sun and water Gods eight days after Diwali, the festival of lights. During Chhath festival, devotees undergo a fast and offer water and milk to the Sun God at dawn and dusk. (AFP Photo/Sajjad Hussain)
- Hindu devotees offer prayers standing in the waters of the Arabian Sea at sun set during Chhath Puja festival in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Nov 17, 2015. On Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the Sun god for sustaining life on earth. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
- Hindu devotees offer prayers standing in the waters of the Arabian Sea at sun set during Chhath Puja festival in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Nov 17, 2015. On Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the Sun god for sustaining life on earth. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
- Hindu devotees perform religious rituals in the River Ganges to mark Chhath Puja festival in Allahabad, India, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. During Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the Sun god for sustaining life on earth. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
- A Nepalese woman takes a holy dip in the Bagmati River before offering prayers during the Chhath Puja festival in in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. On Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the Sun god for sustaining life on earth. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
- A Nepalese woman offers prayers on the banks of the Bagmati River during the Chhath Puja festival in Kathmandu, Nepal. On Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the Sun god for sustaining life on earth. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
- Indian Hindu devotees offer prayers during the Chhat festival on the banks of the river Sabarmati in Ahmedabad on November 17, 2015. Chhath festival, also known as Surya Pooja (worship of the sun), is observed in eastern parts of India where homage is paid to the sun and water Gods eight days after Diwali, the festival of lights. During Chhath festival, devotees undergo a fast and offer water and milk to the Sun God at dawn and dusk. (AFP Photo/P / )
- Indian Hindu devotees offer prayers during the Chhat festival on the banks of the river Sabarmati in Ahmedabad on November 17, 2015. Chhath festival, also known as Surya Pooja (worship of the sun), is observed in eastern parts of India where homage is paid to the sun and water Gods eight days after Diwali, the festival of lights. During Chhath festival, devotees undergo a fast and offer water and milk to the Sun God at dawn and dusk. (AFP Photo/P / )
- Indian devotees let off firecrackers during the Chhath festival in Allahabad on November 17, 2015. Devotees pay obeisance to both the rising and the setting sun during the Chhath festival when people express their thanks and seek the blessings of the forces of nature, mainly the Sun and the River. (AFP Photo/P /sanjay )
- Indian Hindu devotees offer prayers during the ‘Chhath Puja ‘while standing in the sarover (water tank) of the Durgiana temple in Amritsar on November 17, 2015. Devotees pay obeisance to both the rising and the setting sun in the Chhath festival when people express their thanks and seek the blessings of the forces of nature, mainly the Sun and River. (AFP Photo/P )
- An Indian Hindu devotee looks on after offering prayers during the Chhath festival on the banks of the river Yamuna in New Delhi on November 17, 2015. Chhath festival, also known as Surya Pooja (worship of the sun), is observed in eastern parts of India where homage is paid to the sun and water Gods eight days after Diwali, the festival of lights. During Chhath festival, devotees undergo a fast and offer water and milk to the Sun God at dawn and dusk. (AFP Photo/Sajjad Hussain)
- Indian Hindu devotees offer prayers during the ‘Chhath Puja ‘while standing in the sarover (water tank) of the Durgiana temple in Amritsar on November 17, 2015. Devotees pay obeisance to both the rising and the setting sun in the Chhath festival when people express their thanks and seek the blessings of the forces of nature, mainly the Sun and River. (AFP Photo/P )
- Indian Hindu women devotees of Nari Bari village perform religious rituals after sunset as they spend the whole night and offer prayer till sunrise on the banks of the river Ganga at Sangam during the Chhath festival in Allahabad on November 17, 2015. Devotees pay obeisance to both the rising and the setting sun during the Chhath festival when people express their thanks and seek the blessings of the forces of nature, mainly the Sun and the River. (AFP Photo/P /sanjay )
- Indian Hindu devotees perform rituals at sunset on the banks of the Yamuna River during the Chhath Puja festival in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. During Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the Sun god for sustaining life on earth. (AP Photo /Tsering Topgyal)