Patna (Bihar) [India], November 15 : Special arrangements have been made for devotees at Ganga ghats in Patna for the Sandhya Arghya ritual of Chhath Puja, the third and one of the key rituals of the four-day festival.
Visuals from the ghats showed preparations underway for devotees offering prayers to the setting Sun.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary extended greetings to people on the occasion of Sandhya Arghya.
In a post on X, Choudhary wished people happiness, peace, prosperity and well-being, and prayed for the blessings of the setting Sun God and Chhathi Maiya.
"Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to you all on the sacred occasion of ‘Sandhya Arghya’, the third ritual of Chhath Puja, the great festival of popular faith. May the grace of the setting Sun God and Chhathi Maiya bring happiness, peace, prosperity and well-being to everyone’s life. Hail Chhathi Maiya!" he wrote.
https://x.com/samrat4bjp/status/2121804411920125996?a=B8mdtugsYWrnoIw5ju0&s=20
The four-day Hindu festival of Chhath Puja begins with Nahay Khay, the first ritual, during which devotees take a holy bath and prepare a traditional meal comprising Arwa rice, chana dal and lauki (bottle gourd).
The ritual marks the auspicious beginning of the festival, which is dedicated to the worship of the Sun God. On the second day, known as Kharna, devotees observe a fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and water.
The fast is broken after sunset following prayers and offerings of traditional prasad, usually comprising jaggery-based kheer and roti. Thereafter, devotees observe a rigorous fast lasting approximately 36 hours without food or water.
On the third day, devotees gather at riverbanks and other water bodies to offer Arghya to the setting sun, a ritual known as Sandhya Arghya. The festival concludes on the fourth day with Usha Arghya, when devotees offer prayers to the rising sun at dawn.
The ritual is followed by Parana, marking the conclusion of the fast. Dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, Surya, and Chhathi Maiya, the festival symbolises purity, devotion and gratitude, with devotees seeking blessings for the health, prosperity and well-being of their families.