Nepal, Oct. 25 -- A book penned by a researcher Jivesh Jha on the Chhath festival has showed the ties between spiritual awakening and development. The "Beneath the Sun: Equality for Everyone, the Spirit of Chhath Festival" penned by legal scholar Jha celebrates the Chhath festival, bringing into light the social, economic, environmental and development aspects.

The Chhath festival, during which the Sun God is revered, is mainly celebrated in the Mithila region of Nepal- the eastern southern plains/Tarai- and even Bihar and eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, India is now gradually expanding to hilly regions. Even the Kathmandu Valley observes the festival with fanfare, especially after people's movement of 2062/63.

The author has described h...