There are festivals we celebrate. And then there are festivals that become part of who we are.
For millions of people across Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, Chhath is more than a date on the calendar. It is an emotion, a tradition and a deeply personal expression of faith.
That is why the newly released “Chhathi Maiya” song from The Vvaan, featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia, feels like a significant moment.
The grandeur, devotion and emotional power of Chhath have been placed at the centre of a large mainstream Hindi film production. For those who grew up with the festival, seeing it on screen is more than entertainment. It feels like watching a part of home finally being celebrated.
This is Chhath—and it means something different
Ask someone from Bihar about the biggest festival of the year and the answer may not be Diwali or Holi. For many families, Chhath is bigger than everything else.
The festival honours the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, but its spirit reaches beyond worship. It is about gratitude, discipline, family, nature and faith.
It is also one of the most demanding fasts in Hindu tradition. Devotees follow strict rituals, maintain exceptional cleanliness and purity, prepare every offering carefully and observe the festival with immense devotion.
There is a strong belief among devotees that Chhath leaves no room for carelessness.
Four days of discipline and devotion
Chhath unfolds over four days, each with its own purpose and rhythm.
Nahay Khay
The festival begins with purification and a simple, disciplined meal.
Kharna
After fasting through the day, the vratin prepares traditional prasad and breaks the fast with offerings such as rasiyaw and roti. The rigorous nirjala fast then begins and continues until the following morning’s offering.
Sandhya Arghya
As the sun sets, families walk towards a river, pond or ghat carrying daura and soop filled with fruits, thekua and other offerings.
Women in beautiful sarees stand in the water. Lamps glow around the ghats. Thousands wait quietly to offer arghya to the setting sun.
Usha Arghya
The next morning, everyone returns. As the first rays appear, devotees offer the final arghya to the rising sun and the fast comes to an end.
- Four days.
- Hundreds of careful rituals.
- An extraordinary expression of faith.
Why seeing Chhath in Bollywood feels different
The makers of The Vvaan have taken a tradition that has lived for generations in the homes and hearts of Bihar and Purvanchal and placed it within mainstream Hindi cinema.
Tamannaah Bhatia is shown performing the puja, while Sidharth Malhotra participates in the rituals, including the traditional kosi ceremony.
The song is sung and composed by Vishal Mishra, with lyrics by Kaushal Kishore and choreography by Chinni Prakash.
The Bihar connection behind The Vvaan
The regional connection is not accidental. The film is written by Arunabh Kumar, who was born in Muzaffarpur, and directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra.
Arunabh and Deepak drew inspiration from folklore surrounding the Van Devi temple near Patna. Arunabh has spoken about visiting the temple and meeting local people, priests and villagers while learning about its legends.
In that sense, the film carries a piece of Bihar with it—not simply as a setting, but as part of its creative foundation.
A song that feels like an offering
Tamannaah has said that she spent time understanding the meaning of the rituals. She described the song as an attempt to bring the pride of Bihar and Patna to the big screen.
That effort matters because representation is not only about showing a place on screen. Sometimes it is about telling a community: “We see you. We know this matters to you. Your traditions deserve to be celebrated too.”
Every festival deserves its moment
For someone watching far away from India, the song may offer more than spectacle. It may bring back memories of family, glowing ghats, carefully prepared prasad and the quiet wait for sunrise.
Perhaps it will be enough to make someone close their eyes for a moment and whisper: “Chhathi Maiya, sabke jeevan mein sukh aur shanti dena.”
Jai Chhathi Maiya. 🙏
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