Radiant Rituals: Chhath Puja Illuminates Ganga Ghats

On Thursday evening, devotees gathered along the Ganga riverbanks to celebrate Chhath Puja, a significant festival for people from Bihar and Eastern UP. They offered fruits and prayed to the Sun God. The festival, traditionally observed in Bihar, is now celebrated across India, wherever the community resides.

The banks of the Ganga came alive on Thursday evening as throngs of devotees congregated at various ghats, including Har ki Pairi, for the vibrant celebration of Chhath Puja. Men and women, waist-deep in the sacred river, faced west to offer fruits and delicacies to the setting sun, seeking blessings for their families' happiness and prosperity.

Observing a rigorous 36-hour fast, the 'vratis' will bring the festival to a close on Friday morning with a tribute to the rising sun. Chhath Puja, traditionally rooted in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, has expanded to diverse regions of India, reflecting the widespread dispersal of the community.

Significant crowds also gathered at Maharaja Agrasen ghat and Rajghat in Kankhal for the occasion. Ruplal Yadav, president of the Purvanchal Utthan Seva Samiti, emphasized the festival's cultural significance, highlighting the grand Chhath Puja Mahotsav organized at Ganga ghat in Bahadarabad, Haridwar district.

(With inputs from agencies.)