Bamboo soop and daura keep their place in Chhath puja over brass and steel vessels

Chhath puja will be celebrated this year from November 13 to 16. The four-day festival runs from chaturthi to saptami in the shukla paksha of the Kartik month. Bamboo soop (winnowing trays) and daura (baskets) are used in the worship of Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya.

Every item used in Chhath puja has its own significance. Whether it is making thekua, offering fruit or praying to Surya Dev, bamboo vessels and baskets have a special place in all the preparations. People give bamboo vessels greater preference over those of brass, steel or other metals. Steel utensils are durable and easy to get, yet the bamboo soop is given more importance in traditional Chhath puja. The use of bamboo items is a tradition handed down over many generations.

The soop and the daura serve different purposes. The soop is a wide, flat vessel made of thin strips of bamboo. Thekua, fruit, coconut, ginger, turmeric and other prasad are arranged in it. At the time of arghya, when offerings are made to Surya Dev, the soop is presented with reverence.

The daura is a bamboo basket in which puja items and prasad are kept. Family members carry it on their heads to the place of worship or the ghat. There is also a custom of arranging the prasad in a vessel and placing it in the procession.

Chhath puja is also a festival of gratitude to nature. The worship involves the sun, water and the fruits and grains of the earth. The use of bamboo baskets and vessels carries forward the tradition of connecting with nature.

In rural Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, bamboo has long been an important item in every household. Spoons, baskets, mats and many other things are made from it. Over time, the use of bamboo products in folk festivals such as Chhath became part of tradition and identity. Another quality of bamboo is that its products can decompose on their own after use. It is considered a better option for the environment than plastic.

The importance of the bamboo soop and daura is not limited to religious tradition. Local artisans who make them also earn their livelihood from them. In many parts of Bihar, artisans have for generations made vessels, baskets and soop from strips of bamboo. Demand for these items rises as Chhath draws near. However, vessels made of brass, steel and other metals are now also available in the market. Their growing use is also affecting the work of artisans who make traditional bamboo goods.