On Wednesday, thousands of devotees celebrated Chhat Puja, taking the holy dip in ponds and paying obeisance to the setting sun. Devotees in large number thronged ponds and other water bodies to celebrate the festival. Men carried the puja items on their forehead to the ponds where the female members of the family performed the rituals of Sandhya Arghya. The Mayur Garden Pond situated at Sector 2, hosted the Chhath Festival after its renovation conducted recently. Thousands of devotees gathered here for conducting the rituals. Devotional songs and bursting of crackers marked the occasion. Authorities had made all possible arrangements at the ponds including lighting and had deployed life guards to handle any emergency.
Suryodaya Arghya will be offered on October 30. After offering arghya to the rising sun, the devotees would break the 36-hour long fast marking the culmination of Chhath Puja. The devotees, along with family and friends, go to the riverbank before sunrise for making offerings (Arghya) to the rising sun. The festival ends with the breaking of the fast by the parvaitin. Almost all the political leaders reached the ponds and exchanged greetings with the people. Udita Mishra said that Chhat is a way to be grateful to the Sun for giving the bounties of life on earth and for the fulfillment of wishes of believers. It is a festival of reverence to the solar deity, the only festival in the world where devotees offer salutations to the setting sun.
Prakash Singh said that Chhat is the festival of truth, non-violence, forgiveness and compassion. Thousands of lit lamps with several hands offering 'Arghya' to the sun make it a delightful sight. No only Biharis but people of several other origins also celebrate the festival. The enormous faith in Chhat Puja has made it one of the most popular festivals in the twin-city. Making the religious lines blur, many Muslim women also observed fast and performed rituals of Chhat. Shamima, a resident of Supela said that she has been celebrating this for last several years. She had observed the very first Chhat fast for health and recovery of her ailing son. Some elderly person had suggested her to do so. After observing fast, my son recovered heath in a miraculous manner. Excited over his recovery, she started celebrating the festival every year.
Sushila Thapa, who has her roots in Nepal said that the festival has brought luck to her family. I am happy to observe fasts and offer prayers to the sun god. She said his family observes the rituals and worships the sun god for long life and good health.
