Shashthi (day)
Shashthi also referred to as Chhath is the sixth day of the lunar fortnight in the Hindu calendar. It is tithi of a paksha, the fourteen-day phase of the moon.
Etymology
The word comes from the Sanskrit cardinal á¹£aá¹£, whence the ordinal number (linguistics) á¹£aá¹£á¹ha, fem. á¹£aá¹£á¹hÄ«.Occasions
The sixth tithi, especially in the waxing period, is important in several rituals including:- Durga Puja
- Sitalsasthi
- Skanda (Kandha) Shashti or Subramanya Shashti
- Chandra Shashti : It is celebrated on Krishna Paksha Shahsti of Bhadrapada month. It is quite popular among Dogra community of Jammu division. The day is celebrated as birthday of Balarama and hence also called Balram Chhath or Baldev Chhath.
- Surya Shashti (Chhath), a major sun-worshiping day of Hindus is celebrated on sixth day Shukla Paksha of Kartika.