Devotees give ‘arghya’ to keep Covid-19 protocols at ease, Chhath Puja ends.

Key points:

1.  Thousands of devotees assembled on the last day of Saturday’s Chhath Puja to give morning prayers to the rising sun.
2. At his official residence, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also celebrated the festival.
3. Nahay Khay’, a traditional meal, is cooked and served in the afternoon on the first day.
4. The festivities end on the fourth day after the Usha Arghya (delivering prayers to the rising sun) is performed by devotees.

Thousands of devotees assembled on the last day of Saturday’s Chhath Puja to give morning prayers to the rising sun.

 On the final day of the four-day Puja, most people across the nation stuck to the common practice of offering prayers on river banks, breaching the guidelines given to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

According to news agency ANI:

Despite the Covid-19 limits, Lucknow’s Gomti riverfront, the Ganga banks in Varanasi and Patna as well as other locations in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bhubaneswar were abuzz with devotees, as per the news agency ANI.

Many devotees, though, chose to stay at home to give ‘arghya’ from temporary water bodies, specifically made for the festival within their campuses, to its rising sun.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar also celebrated the festival:

At his official residence, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also celebrated the festival. PTI announced that he gave ‘arghya’ to the setting sun, a practice he has adopted since becoming the CM 15 years ago, but refrained against stepping out to take stock of the ghats as he uses to.

 Chhath also performed in her home town of Bettiah with Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi.

See the rituals known as Prathihar, Dala Chhath, Chhathi, and Surya Shashthi, the four-day celebration cycle of Chhath Puja, dedicated to the Sun God.

What is Chhat Puja: 

Nahay Khay’, a traditional meal, is cooked and served in the afternoon on the first day. Worshippers practice ‘Nirjala Vrata’ on the second day of the Puja (fast without consuming even a sip of water) and break their fast just in the evening after adoring the sun at sunset.

 ‘Sandhya Arghya’ is named the third day of the Puja as well as devotees observe a day-long fast again and break it only the next day after sunrise.

The festivities end on the fourth day after the Usha Arghya (delivering prayers to the rising sun) is performed by devotees. The Chhath Puja is celebrated on the sixth day of the Hindu calendar’s Kartik month and is also the fourth day after Diwali.