4-day Chhath Puja culminates with religious fervour

Despite Covid-19 fear, all 96 ghats and ponds were seen jam-packed with devotees celebrating the festival.

Devotees broke their 36-hour fast as they thronged the ghats and ponds across the capital city to offer final ‘arghya’ to rising sun on Thursday, marking culmination of four-day Chhath festival. Later, prasad was also distributed.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar being offered prasad on the occasion of Chhath Puja, in Patna on Thursday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

On Wednesday evening, people visited ghats and offered ‘arghya’ to setting sun across the city.

Despite Covid-19 fear, all 96 ghats and ponds were seen jam-packed with devotees celebrating the festival.

Many said that they happy to visit the ghats as they missed the celebration due to the pandemic. “I am feeling satisfied after offering ‘arghya’. Last year, I could not visit the ghat owing to Covid-19,” said Savita Jha, 60, a devotee near Gandhi Ghat. However, there were many who decided not to visit crowed ghats and instead made temporary ponds on the rooftops of their houses to offer ‘arghya’.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar also took part in the Chhath festivities at his official residence. “It was heartening to see that people have turned out in such large numbers at the ghats. This familiar sight we could not see last year because of Corona”, the CM said on Wednesday after he surveyed the ghats ..

Besides the common people, several inmates across the state including one Nigerian and a Bangladeshi woman performed Chhath Puja. While the Nigerian inmate, Yugwum Sinachi performed the puja at Saheed Kudiraam Bose jail, the Bangladeshi woman, Reena Khatoon, performed the puja at Siwan jail along with 20 inmates. “Around 200 inmates performed Chhath Puja inside the jail including one Nigerian inmate and one Bangladeshi woman. Puja arrangements were done inside jail amid high security,” said Brijesh Kumar Mehta, jail superintendent of Shaheed Khudiram Bose Central Jail .

The Patna district administration on Thursday claimed that the Chhath festival concluded peacefully.

Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Agarwal thanked all officers and staff who extended their help during Chhath celebration. “Despite many challenges including high water level, marshy river banks, Chhath Puja concluded peacefully in Patna. Security arrangements were tightened and all deputed officials were present on their assigned duties. Officials who have performed important role in puja arrangements and puja committee will be felicitated soon.”

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