"Chhat Puja" is now emerged as a National festival. According to the media coverage and experiences of different places it is not only a festival of Terai origin Hindu people but already accepted and even started celebration by Hill origin people and also by Muslim families (see Chhat le Jodadai chha Madesh ra Pahad, Nagrik Daily 23 October pg. 8). The four days long festival needs a lot of attentions and preparation because of its requirements. I have tried to explore the biodiversity, social integrity and livelihood aspects of the great festival.

Chhat Puja needs varieties of grain, fruits, spices and many local products. Some of the species are in existence only due to the requirements of Chhat Puja. A small agriculture product called Suthuni in local language (one type of tuber product) found in market only during this festival. Like wise the requirements of this Puja are Sugar cane with green leaves, Paddy (Sathi variety), Aruwa, Lemon (special type, not the all varieties), cardamom, Bodi, Coconut, Ginger, Banana (both plant and fruit), Ghee. The long list of requirements of fruits, spices and other agriculture products has been contributing in the biodiversity conservation. The Sathi Dhan (a local variety of paddy which is black) almost disappeared from the market and found only during the Chhat Puja. Actually some of the farmers cultivate Sathi Dhan to get good money during the Puja.

Another aspect of biodiversity conservation is related with the water body. As we know the Chhat Puja take place on the edge of different water bodies e.g. River, Lake or Pond, the local people starts to clean the water bodies before the Puja. It has been seen that at many of the places they spend good money to increase the depth of the water body and in the maintainance of the embankment. Though these activities are done for the celebration of the Puja, these contribute widely in biodiversity conservation specially for the wetlands.

For its special requirements each of the house celebrating the Puja needs Dhakia (Chhaita), Supali of Bamboo. Small pot known as Diya and Hathi (statuette of elephant) both made by using soil are required in huge amount. All the bamboo materials are prepared by the Dom community (so called untouchable lowest caste) who are very poor. They get a handsome income during the Puja. The soil pots are made by Kumhar (Kumhal in Hill language) who are also one of the so called lower castes in Terai. In this way the festival itself possesses a dynamic function of social integrity. The requirements from soil pots, bamboo materials, banana, sugarcane etc. generally supplied by the lower income strata of the society and in return they get a good income finally contributes to the local livelihood. According to the Dom and Kumhar families of Gaur Municipality they generally earn enough money for at least six month of their survival during the Chhat Puja by supplying the materials.

In conclusion, we can realise the biodiversity, social integrity and livelihood aspects of the great festival besides its cultural and religious values. A detail study may explore these aspects in detail.

Happy Chhat