Chhath Puja begins, admn on toes to prevent religious gathering

Amid ongoing Navratri and Ramzan, 4-day Chhath Puja commenced on Friday

Amid ongoing Navratri and Ramzan, 4-day Chhath Puja commenced on Friday. With various festivals falling at the same time amid spike in Covid-19 cases, the district administration has heightened vigil to prevent gathering of devotees at religious places.

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Considering Covid-19 safety protocols, majority of devotees have decided to perform puja indoors. In an effort to stop people from visiting ghats, Patna Municipal Corporation facilitated holy water distribution in several wards.

PMC public relations officer Harshita said, “We distributed ‘Gangajal’ from tankers at several places in the morning so that people can collect holy water for performing rituals at home. Regular sanitisation work in going on with the help of jitter machine and hand-held devices across the city.”

Devotees shared that the second wave of Covid-19 has taken sheen out of Chhath, Navratri and Ramzan festivities in the city.

Geeta Devi (60), a Chhath devotee, said, “I missed taking bath at the ghat. Covid-19 situation has dampened festivity. I have resorted to artificial pool for offering ‘arghya’.”

Meanwhile, city mosques wore deserted look on Friday, despite being the first ‘Jumma’ of Ramzan.

General secretary of Imarat-e-Shariah Maulana Al Quasami said mosques have restricted the visit of devotees following the state government’s safety guidelines.

“We have requested the people to offer prayer at home. Only the imam and muezzin (the person who gives the call for prayers) have been allowed to offer prayer at mosques to fulfil the religious obligations,” he said.

District magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said, “In view of public health safety, residents are not allowed to celebrate Chhath on ghats or offer ‘namaz’ at mosques. Neither religious procession will be allowed on Ramnavmi.”

“Sub-divisional officers are monitoring their respective areas to prevent crowding. Additional magistrates and police forces have been deployed for strict vigil. Public announcement systems are being used for generating mass awareness,” he added.