What is chhaṭhī, the sixth-day pūjā after birth?

on the sixth day the family worships Ṣaṣṭhī Devī (Chhaṭhī Maiyā), the protector of children, and thanks her for the baby.

In much of North and East India, the sixth night after birth is special. Ṣaṣṭhī Devī, described in the Devī Bhāgavata as a form of the Mother who protects newborns, is worshipped. Families often keep a lamp, a pen and paper near the baby that night, with the folk belief that Vidhātā writes the child’s destiny — a beautiful way of saying the child’s life is in divine hands.

Customs vary: some bathe mother and baby, dress the baby in new clothes, apply kājal, sing sohar songs and share sweets. In Bengal it is called ṣaṣṭhī pujo; in parts of Maharashtra the pāchvī or saṭhī is similar.

Keep it simple and hygienic. The mother is still recovering, so let others do the work. A lamp, a small pūjā with flowers and a prayer for the baby’s health is enough. Guests should wash hands and avoid crowding the newborn.

Deity: Ṣaṣṭhī Devī / Chhaṭhī Maiyā · Source: Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa and regional custom

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