COP-26 & Tradition of Chhath

Chandan Sharma

Is there any connection between century old tradition of Chhath Puja and recent ongoing climate emergency and climate change and urgency of climate action. It may be a co-incidence but it is a matter of the fact that the four day folk tradition of Chhath festival and its rituals are taking centrestage in the COP-26. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tweet appeared on Wednesday morning extending greetings of Chhath, the festival of nature and living Sun God, the negotiators and leaders were discussing and finalizing the draft how to reduce carbon emission and put a halt on surging of temperature.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former US President Barrack Obama have come out openly to appeal to put all the efforts to reduce the impact of climate emergency and disastrous changes. This has become more important after the reports of surge in the temperature upto 2.4 degree celcius instead of 1.5 degree celcius. While Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged to  keep the target of 1.5 degree celcius alive, Obama has exhorted younger generation to keep themselves alert and angry to end climate injustice and better environment. Later on, US too joined and supported the solar alliance and hailed Modi for the movement amid the festival of Sun God, Chhath.

 But, how Chhath and climate action are interrelated? This may be difficult relation in the first instance. But the rituals clearly indicate that the entire activities of nature and our energy needs are revolving around the Sun. The centuries old tradition of Chhath not only pray the Sun, only visible living God, but other participants too pray the living god to contain thou’s temperature and pray the God by pouring water and/or milk to both during the sunset and sunrise.

Needless to say that it is now the biggest folk tradition not in India but abroad too. And, this folk tradition is now speaking aloud in the Glasgow too, without any exception. Although, as the global negotiations and negotiators usually do, they would not give credit to this folk tradition despite the fact that the tradition of worshipping of nature through Chhath is followed by hundreds of millions silently without knowing that their acts or traditions are now a part of climate action. And, believe me options are very limited now to end the climate injustice. 

(An independent pvt. initiative) (Pix: A file photo ) (Author is founder& editor of Yuvavani.com)