Washington: Thousands of miles away from their ancestral homes, members of the Indian diaspora in the United States and Canada are keeping the traditions of Chhath Puja alive through community celebrations, prayers by water bodies and collective efforts to pass the festival on to younger generations.
From a temple pond near Houston and a lake in California to the banks of the Potomac River in Virginia, families are coming together to offer prayers to the setting and rising Sun. The celebrations are bringing together fasting devotees, children, relatives and volunteers, with communities making arrangements to preserve the rituals and cultural traditions associated with the festival.
Chhath Puja Celebrations Bring Indian Families Together Across the US
Near Houston, the pond at the Jagannath Hindu Temple of Rosenberg has become the centre of a community-led Chhath celebration involving families, donors and volunteers.
Organisers said six scientists are sponsoring, preparing and serving food for families attending the event. Other volunteers are helping with arrangements, parking, cleaning and welcoming visitors. The organisers have also invited every family that observes the festival to participate.
In the Washington region, Indian community members have been celebrating Chhath on the banks of the Potomac River in Virginia for nearly two decades. The tradition began in 2006 when Kripa Shankar Singh and his wife, Anita Singh, looked for a place to observe the festival.
“This is our attempt to keep our culture alive in a foreign land,” Anita Singh said, recalling how what started as a family gathering has grown to attract hundreds of community members from different places every year.
In New Jersey, the Bihar-Jharkhand Association of North America is also encouraging families to participate in community celebrations. Its invitation calls on people to help preserve their traditions while living far from home.
The gathering welcomes both devotees observing the fast and relatives and friends who come to support them, making the festival a shared community occasion.
California and Other US States Join Chhath Celebrations
On the West Coast, the Quarry Lakes Chhath gathering in Fremont, near Silicon Valley, is bringing devotees together for the festival. Organisers have made arrangements for the evening prayers and are also informing participants about requirements for using the public recreation area, including advance parking passes.
Further south, the Bihar Jharkhand Bandhu Association is organising a celebration at Oso Lake Scout Camp in Rancho Santa Margarita. Children, friends and volunteers have also been invited to join fasting devotees. The gathering aims to bring families together and help younger generations remain connected with their cultural traditions.
Chhath celebrations are also taking place at Hindu Buddha Mandir in Maryland and Shiv Mandir of Atlanta in Sugar Hill, Georgia. Near Seattle, the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center in Bothell is accepting registrations for collective worship.
Indian Diaspora Keeps Chhath Traditions Alive in Canada
In Canada, the Vaishno Devi Temple in Oakville, Ontario, is preparing for community celebrations with shared meals and arrangements for puja and prasad.
The Bihar and Jharkhand Association of Canada has said that donations and sponsorships will help provide free meals, puja arrangements and prasad throughout its three-day programme.
The celebrations reflect the different ways Indian communities are preserving Chhath traditions abroad. While some gatherings focus on bringing families and friends together, others involve children in the rituals or organise shared meals for devotees.
For many families living outside India, these celebrations provide an opportunity to remain connected with the traditions of Bihar and Jharkhand and introduce younger generations to the festival.
From temple ponds and public lakes to riverbanks and community centres, Chhath Puja is finding new places to flourish in North America while retaining its familiar rituals and cultural significance.