Devotees throng Delhi ghats, mark Chhath Puja festivity with prayers, songs, selfies

Lakhs of devotees offer ‘Sandhya Arghya’ to the setting sun on the third day of the four-day festival; political leaders make a beeline for ghats with an eye on Purvanchali voters ahead of Assembly poll

Lakhs of devotees thronged artificial ghats across the national capital on Thursday to mark the third day of Chhath Puja and offer ‘Sandhya Arghya’ [water to the setting sun]. Some of the devotees rued not being able to reach their hometowns in time while others were miffed by the prohibition on performing the rituals on the Yamuna’s banks. However, a celebratory atmosphere was palpable across the ghats, where people could be seen performing rituals, singing folk songs, and clicking selfies together.

The four-day festival dedicated to the Sun God, which started on Tuesday, is celebrated predominantly by Purvanchalis, the Bhojpuri-speaking people from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and parts of Jharkhand. The rituals include holy bathing, fasting, standing in water, and making offerings to the rising and setting sun.

At one such ghat in ITO, where a pond was created next to the Yamuna river, Kali Paswan, who hails from Sitamarhi in Bihar, was busy preparing for the evening prayer.

Mr. Paswan, who had come to the ghat with his family, said they wanted to be home during the four-day festival and that he had been trying to get four train tickets since October.

“Not one seat was available in any train. Those who managed to get tickets were packed in compartments in herds. I saw so many videos on Facebook where people in trains were struggling for space. So, I decided to stay here,” said the 32-year-old, who works in a city hospital.

He said that a sense of community helps most migrants like him feel at home in far-flung cities during the Chhath Puja.

Chutki Devi, 20, expressed similar sentiments. “I’m from a village near Bhagalpur [in Bihar]. For me, celebrating Chhath in Delhi is an event where I get to meet many women with common cultural roots and similar stories — they also left their hometowns with their husbands for better prospects,” she said, adding that she loves how everyone dresses up during the festival.

Manju, a native of Sitamarhi, said she missed being able to offer prayers at the riverbank. “It feels different because this is not how the rituals are supposed to be performed. However, cultures are always changing,” said the 34-year-old.

Political bustle

Several political leaders also visited ghats in the city to join the festivities. The Purvanchali community, one of the largest voter bases in the national capital, is expected to play an important role in deciding the fate of the Delhi Assembly election due in February next year.

Chief Minister Atishi offered Sandhya Arghya at an event in her constituency, Kalkaji, in south Delhi. “Delhi is home to Purvanchalis, and because of them, Chhath has become a festival for all Delhiites. We celebrate it with great joy,” she said.

Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal offered the prayers at a ghat in Kidwai Nagar. He said that this year the Delhi government had set up puja ghats at 1,800 locations. Other ruling party leaders, including former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Cabinet Ministers Gopal Rai and Saurabh Bhardwaj, also attended various Chhath events.

Leaders from the BJP also took part in the celebrations. A prominent Purvanchali face in the Capital, North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari organised a Chhath Puja event at his residence and visited around 15 ghats. East Delhi MP and Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra described Chhath as a “collective festival, which gives people an opportunity to worship nature without discriminating between the rich and the poor”.

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav attacked the government over the pollution in the Yamuna. “The Congress-led Delhi government, headed by Sheila Dikshit, always ensured that Haryana released fresh water into the Yamuna well before Chhath so that devotees could stand in fresh water and perform rituals in the traditional manner,” Mr. Yadav said.

Published - November 08, 2024 01:05 am IST