Ayushmann Khurrana: Had never celebrated Chhath Puja before
Mumbai, Nov 13 (IANS) Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who will be celebrating the spirit of Chhath Puja with the special song 'Bulaye Chhathi Maa' from Sooraj Barjatya's 'Yeh Prem Mol Liya', said as a Punjabi, he had never celebrated it before, so experiencing the festival for the first time was special for him.
Looking back at the shoot, Ayushmann said in a statement: "As a Punjabi, I had never celebrated Chhath Puja before, so experiencing the festival for the first time was special for me.
He shared that “every ritual has its own meaning”.
“With so much faith and devotion behind it. For me, it was much more than just shooting a song; I got to be part of a beautiful tradition that was completely new to me. There was also a very special moment before we shot the Chhath Puja climax sequence. Soorajji brought the entire cast together and played the Chhath Puja song for us.”
Ayushmann said: “It was such an emotional moment that everyone had tears in their eyes. That stayed with all of us and made the sequence even more meaningful. The entire cast was moved by the way Soorajji approached the Chhath sequence and the importance he gave to capturing its traditions and sentiments in the most realistic way."
The song captures the faith, devotion and traditions associated with the festival, offering a glimpse into the emotional significance of Chhath Puja, one of India's most revered festivals, celebrated with great devotion in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and by communities across the country, from Delhi and Mumbai to West Bengal, Odisha and beyond.
During Chhath Puja, prayers are dedicated to the solar deity, Surya, to express gratitude for the blessings of life on Earth and to seek the fulfilment of personal wishes. The Hindu goddess Chhathi Maiya, the sixth form of Prakriti and Surya's sister, is also worshipped during the festival.
It is celebrated for six days after Deepavali or Tihar, until the sixth day of the lunar month of Kartika. The rituals are observed over three nights and four days, and include holy bathing, fasting, abstaining from drinking water as a vrata, standing in water, and offering prasada and arghya to the rising and setting of the Sun.
--IANS
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