राष्ट्रपति रामचन्द्र पौडेल
KATHMANDU, Nov 15:
President Ram Chandra Paudel has expressed his belief that the Chhath festival will help enhance national unity among all Nepalis by ending all forms of class, ethnic, gender, and other discriminations, ill practices, and anomalies prevalent in society.
Extending a message of best wishes today on the occasion of the Chhath Festival 2083, President Paudel stated that the festival provides inspiration to preserve and promote indigenous culture and further strengthen mutual harmony. He noted that the Chhath festival—observed with prayers for longevity, cleanliness, sattvic diet, restraint, goodwill, and prosperity—has been conveying a message of social and natural balance through the worship of the Sun God.
President Paudel mentioned that there is a popular belief that performing the Chhath fast with proper rituals yields desired outcomes, brings welfare to the family, and removes all sorrows and hardships, leading to well-being.
“Acknowledging the fact that life on earth is impossible without the sun, celebrating this festival with body and mind from Kartik Shukla Chaturthi to Saptami by staying near flowing water bodies and offering Argha (oblations) of milk to the setting sun on the first day and the rising sun the next day helps foster respect for nature, environmental consciousness, and familial-social solidarity,” reads the message of best wishes issued by President Paudel.
President Paudel noted that the tradition involves celebrating the festival with great enthusiasm and fanfare by staying awake all night along the banks of rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes, performing worship, adoration, and fasting for Chhathi Mata while showing reverence to the sun, water, and earth.
He expressed happiness that the tradition of celebrating Chhath—primarily observed in the Terai and Madhesh regions—is now increasingly being celebrated with reverence and devotion in the Kathmandu Valley as well as other hilly and Himalayan districts.
President Paudel has wished that the blessings of Chhathi Mata and the Sun God may continue to remain upon us in achieving sustainable peace, good governance, development, and prosperity by ending all forms of social discrimination and anomalies existing in Nepali society.
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