A unique festival worship for God SUN and exclusively celebrated in KASBA only, it is  one of the Toughest festival Getting performed by those devotees whose wishes gets full filled. The festival Start at the midnight of Deepawali with the Process of KHARNA (where the Devotees  keep fast for the Hole day and break the fast in midnight By taking KHEER (a product of rice, Milk and sugar) in a Pin drop silence)), the very Next day Process start with KADWA BHAT (a product of rice and pumpkin) and MUNDAN ( shaving head) of person whose wishes has fulfilled is also call as CHOR along with His Father, Son and uncle (MAMA or CHACHA). Here Maternal Uncle is playing an important role of commanding the whole Processes; Here CHOR (BHANJA) has to follow the Order

  Devotees are bound to ware unstitched cloths made up of JUTE (also famous as PATWA) painted in yellow color, including Necessary to ware the JUTE Ring in all Twenty (20) fingers. Here CHOR has to carry a Knife with a nut at tip and MAMA has to carry a shored (TALWAR) with a Nut at tip.

 On the First day all devotes along with there family performs Puja at home with the help of local Priest followed by CHATIYA BANDHAN where the mother of CHOR is cutting a JUTE thread from body, from here Fast is getting ended,

 After CHATIYA BANDHAN they visit to all close relatives to collect the VIKSHA ( Rice, Plus, Milk, Nut, Turmeric  and Money) and in returns the main Member of Relatives (Particularly Lady) touch and wash the leg of CHOR.

On Nest Day they follows the Same procedure (VIKSHA) But they Don’t return their Houses instead they are heading towards the Nearest River for Final ritual where the Local Priest performs Puja followed by BALI, In the Processes of BALI The Sikha ( Tip of Hair Made of JUTE) is Placed on KUMDHA (a very famous for Making Sweet MURABBA) and is getting cut by His CHOR MAMA. Finally they are taking a Dip in river water and dispose off all cloths along with KUMRAH in to the river. With this they are returning to their Normal Life.

 Mandatory parameters:-

1.      GANGA Snan ( Dip in River Ganga)  for the festival to Begin and  after that it’s Mandatory to perform the CHAT Puja.

As Narrated By: -

Mr.Surendra Mandal and Mr.Bindnath Saha.

Year start with Sraswati pooja, Makarsankranti (Tila-sankranti), Holi, Durga pooja, Rakhi (Raksha Bandhan) Ramjan, Muhharram, Eid, Bakreed, Diwali , Ramnaumi, Janmastami, Chrismas, Maha Shivaratri, Chat, New year. 

But there are two festivals that is uniquely associated with Kasba Chora-brath, Thadi-brath, Festivals of all these religions are, of course, observed in Kasba.

Durga puja is the most prominent festival  and Kasba-Purnia  turns a new city during the last four days of the festival from Maha-Shashti (the sixth day), the day of Bodhon on Maha-Shashti to the day when the idols are immersed in the rivers, lakes and seas on the evening of Dashami. However, it is considered to immerse the idols in the sacred waters of the River Saura. It is believed that the Mother Goddess descends to the Earth on Shashthi and returns to her abode on Dashmi. The fresh and cool air of the pleasant winters, the clear skies, mildly fragrant Shiuli (a type of flower), the bountiful harvest in the fields and chanting of mantras and shlokas to worship Shakti, all collectively set up the scene for the ten-day long festival of Durga Puja. The preparations are done long before the festival to clean and decorate homes, buy gifts for fiends and relatives and new clothes for the celebrations and prepare mouth-watering delicacies for the occasion.

Since time immemorial, the holy festival of Jivitputrika popularly known as Jitiya is observed by women in Bihar for the long life of their children. Mothers keep fast throughout the day without taking even a drop of water. Normally, the fast is observed for the well-being of sons. In 2009, the date of Jivitputrika Vrat is September 12.  One of the most prized possession women have been gifted with by the almighty God is to bring new life on earth. The glory of motherhood is celebrated during Jitiya festival by forsaking food and water and praying for children.Though a Hindu festival, Jitiya is religiously observed by some Muslim women also to pray for the safety and prosperity of their children. Women in Bihar feels that every woman must observe this pious ritual as it is a part of our tradition and brings happiness to the family. Jitiya is a Nirjala vrata as the devotee mothers abstain even from water which is the most essential thing for life. The ritual takes three days. The first day (the day before jitiya) is called ‘Nahai-Khai’ as the women take the first morsel only after having bath. Jiutya, a red and yellow sacred thread, is worn by mothers who undertake this fasting. The second day is for the fast and Paaran is done on the third day. Religious priests (Panditji) give information about the exact time for Paaran and women can break their fast only after that time. The dishes which are cooked for Paaran are also fixed. Women break their fast with saag (edible herbs) like Noni saag, Poi saag etc. and Brade made from the flour of Maduwa (madwa ki roti) ,  Fruits included Green Peas (HARA MATAR )which is a local crop. This observance is based on legendary mythology and remains unaffected by modern culture. Jitiya is performed in the Krishna Paksh of the Ashwin maas (month) on Ashtami tithi (eighth day) as per the Indian calendar guided by the moon. The day is also celebrated as Lakshmi Parv (worship of Goddess Lakshmi) in other parts of India . Following the rules given in religious books, women should offer prayers to Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesh and other deities during the evening. The next day women again offer puja at the same altar and sing local folk songs. The priests help the worshippers to perform the whole process according to Karmkand. But if a priest is not available, mothers can perform the puja on their own by following ‘Ashtadasho Upchaar’ (eight holy treatments), ‘Shodshon Upchaar’ (sixteen holy treatments) and other rituals. Women who come from affluent families or who are very religious follow Rajopchar and Panchopchar method as well and hear the jitiya story with full devotion,” he said. 

Legend of  Jivitputrika (Jitiya-KATHA) The story associated with Jitiya has its own significance as the ritual is incomplete without hearing the story. According to religious books when ‘Kaliyug’ began, women were worried about their progeny and they went to Gautam Rishi, a well known sage. The sage told them that there is a ritual which could help save their children. He narrated a story which starts in the time of Mahabharata when Pandavas were traumatized with the death of all their sons in the war. Their queen Draupadi went to a Brahmin called Dhaumya and asked for a solution for the long life of children. Dhaumya told her the following story: Jimutvahan was a king in Satyuga. Once on a visit to his in-laws home with his wife, he heard a bitter cry of an old woman at night. The woman was crying for her dead son. Jimutvahan went to her and came to know that she was crying because Garura (the king of birds and vehicle of Lord Vishnu) had eaten her son. Jimutvahan, generous by nature instantly went to the place where Garura could be found and presented himself as food. Garura started to cut his body with his claws. But surprised by the behaviour of the king, he wanted to know the actual reason behind his sacrifice. Despite the pain, the king insisted Garura to kill and eat him. Out of awe, he inquired about the actual identity of the king. “You do not seem to be an ordinary man. I beseech you to tell the truth,” said Garura. Then the king revealed his identity and happy with his generosity, Garura asked him to make a wish. Jimutvahan asked the king of birds to give life to all those people whom he had eaten. Garura complied with his wish and himself brought ‘Amrit’ (holy nectar) from the Naglok and sprinkled it on the dead remains of the bones of all the deceased. The dead were all alive. Happy with the king’s gesture, he also gave him a boon – a woman who will offer worship on the eighth day of Asvin in Krishna Paksha with a statue of Kusha (a kind of grass used in religious observances) will never face any threat on the life of her children. 

What is Shivaratri? 

The Puranas contain many stories and legends describing the origin of this festival. According to one, during the churning of the ocean by the gods and the asuras, a pot of poison emerged from the ocean. This terrified the gods and demons as the poison was capable of destroying the entire world, and they ran to Shiva for help. To protect the world from its evil effects, Shiva drank the deadly poison but held it in his throat instead of swallowing it. This made his throat turn blue, and he was given the name Neelakantha, the blue-throated one. Shivaratri is the celebration of this event by which Shiva saved the world. 

Spiritual Significance of the Story of Samudra Manthan 

The ocean is compared to the human mind and the process of churning to meditation. In the hours of meditation, the sadhaka or spiritual aspirant churns his own mind. There is a constant war between the devas and the asuras, that is, between the good and the bad tendencies (samskaras) accumulated in the sub-conscious mind. During the process of churning of the mind, both good and bad tendencies surface to the conscious mind. Spiritual aspirants pay and seek the blessings of Shiva (who is none other than their own divine Self) to digest all the poison without getting affected by it. Then alone will they be able to manifest their divine nature and obtain the pot of nectar – Amruta Kumbha – that is immortality.

Aspects of Shiva

Shiva has two aspects, the Unmanifest and the manifest. The transcendental, eternal infinite field of all energies (Shakti) as the source of creation is the Unmanifest Shiva.Upanishads describe ‘SHIVAM SHANTAM ADVAITAM CHATURTHAM MANYATE SA ATMA SA VIGYAYAHA’. The Shiva, which is tranquil, unified and non-dual beyond the three realms is verily the ATMAN, which must be known and experienced in our consciousness. The manifest aspect of Lord Shiva is SHAMBHU, SHANKAR and MAHADEV as one of the lords of TRINITY, who dissolves the precious state to enable new creation of Brahma. He is the fountainhead of all esoteric knowledge of yoga, Tantra and occult traditions. He is associated with cosmic dance of NATRAJ – TANDAV.Lord Shiva – NATARAJA - is the master of dance. Shiva’s dance indicates a continuous process of creation, preservation and destruction. The Damaru (drum) represents the  principle of shabda (sound) and hence akasha (ether), which proceeds immediately from the Atman and is responsible for further creation or evolution. Fire represents pralayagni, the fire that destroys the world at the time of dissolution of the world. Thus Damaru and fire represent the continuous cycle of creation, preservation and destruction. The other two hands indicate that one who takes refuge at the feet of the Lord will have nothing to fear. The Apasmara-purusha on which Shiva is standing symbolizes ignorance, which makes us lose our balance and consciousness. He is trampled upon by the Lord for the good of the devotees.

Spiritual Significance of Worship

All worship and spiritual disciplines are for the purpose of the purification of the mind so that we can apprehend the divine Consciousness within us and others. This mental purification is achieved by spiritual disciplines (tapasyas) such as study, meditation, repetition of the divine name (mantra) which burn up the mental impurities that cover theAtman which is of the nature of Infinite Existence, Knowledge and Bliss. It is our divine birthright. Purification of the mind is achieved through purity in thoughts, words, actions, relationships and connections. Sri Ramakrishna compares the mind to white linen. It will take the colour of whichever dye it comes in contact. When it is dipped in blue dye, it becomes blue, when dipped in red dye it becomes red. Likewise, if the mind is “dipped in holy and pure thoughts” by meditating on the Divine, it becomes pure and holy; if it is dipped in worldliness, it becomes impure and does not reflect the divine truth within. Thoughts are the seeds of all our speech and actions.

OM-NAMAH-SIVAY

Shiva and His Shakti (maya) are one and the same. This world is the relative aspect of Shiva. His maya Shakti deludes us and binds us in worldliness. We forget our blissful divine nature and behave like miserable beings. When Shiva is propitiated with worship and devotion, he becomes gracious and frees us from the clutches of his maya. He grants us the divine virtues of renunciation, discrimination, dispassion to worldly attractions, devotion to the Supreme Being, compassion to all beings, fearlessness, strength to practise spiritual disciplines for the control and purification of the mind. On the night of Shivaratri, devotees observe vigil and spend their time in worship, japa, meditation, singing hymns and bhajans etc. and thus try to unite their minds with the Divine Lord.

Significance of Fasting on Shivratri

The Sanskrit word for fasting is Upavasa. “Upa” means near, close by; “vasa” means to stay or abide in, thus “upavasa” means keeping the mind close to God by meditating and contemplating on His divine qualities so that the mind imbibes the divine qualities. This requires an alert and concentrated mind. Thus, when we abstain from eating and drinking, the body feels light and the mind is alert. However, if necessary one may take some fruits and milk. The important thing is to keep the mind on the Lord and not on the stomach.Furthermore, fasting is also a great instrument for self-disciplining the mind, body and the senses and developing the will-power. It helps one to endure hardships, to persevere under difficulties and not give up. According to Hindu philosophy, the word “ahara” means whatever we “take in”. It includes all that we take in through the fives senses and not only food. Pure “ahara” really means taking in pure perceptions through all the sense organs. Therefore, true fasting means disciplining all the senses so that the mind can be elevated for higher contemplation.

Shiva Manas Puja (Mental Worship of Shiva)This hymn is unique in its completeness of mental worship of lord Shiva. He is installed in the Consciousness of the devotee who offers entire range of worship ceremonies. As a result he feels that his soul (Atman) is verily Shiva, his intelligence is Divine Mother Parvati, His body is the temple, all enjoyments are His worship, every utterance is His prayer (hymn) and every action performed is a step in the process of unifying with Lord Shiva. The fourth verse is given below: atmaa tvam girijaa matih sahacharaah praanaah shariiram griham puja te vishayopabhogarachanaa nidraa samaadhisthitih.sanchaarah padayoh pradakshinavidhih stotraani sarvaa giro yadyadkarma karomi tattadakhilam shambho tavaaraadhanam.You are my Self; Divine Mother Parvati is my reason. My five pranas are Your attendants, my body is Your house, and all that I take in through my five senses are objects to use for Your worship (as oblations poured in to the fire of your divine  consciousness dwelling in my body). My sleep is Your state of samadhi. Wherever I walk I am circumambulating around You. All my speech are hymns of praise of You, everything I do is in devotion to You, O benevolent Lord!