Chapra: Chhath, the four-day festival of folk faith, ended on Tuesday with the offering of Arghya to Lord Bhaskar. In the first rays of the morning, the Chhath vrats stood on the ghats of rivers and ponds and offered obeisances to the Sun God with milk, water and seasonal fruits, after which the waterless fast that had been going on for 36 hours was broken.
The 36-hour waterless fast was broken: First of all the devotees consumed tea mixed with ghee, which symbolizes the tradition of ending this difficult penance. Chhath fast is considered to be a very difficult penance, in which there is a unique combination of purity, restraint and devotion. Chhath Vrati breaks the waterless fast of 36 hours today and consumes food.
The sacred journey from Nahay-Khay to Usha Arghya: This four-day ritual begins with Nahay-Khay on the first day, when the fasting people consume pulses, rice and pumpkin curry as Satvik food. On the second day, Kharna is organized, in which Prasad of Sathi rice kheer, roti and banana is made, which after being consumed by the devotees, is distributed among the family members and nearby people. After Kharna, a 36-hour waterless fast begins, which continues till evening Arghya on Shashthi on the third day and Usha Arghya on Saptami on the fourth day. On Monday evening, the first Arghya was offered to the setting sun and this morning the festival was emotionally concluded by offering the second Arghya.
Religious importance of Chhath: This festival of worship of Lord Sun is called Shardiya Chhath, celebrated in Kartik Shukla Paksha, which is a symbol of vitality, health and prosperity. This festival, which happens twice a year, is also celebrated as Chaitra Chhath in the month of April. Prasad kept in seasonal fruits, thekus and kalsup is offered to the Sun while standing in the water of river, pond or pond. When the wishes are fulfilled, the devotees perform Koshi Bharai, in which sugarcane is placed around the clay elephant by lighting a lamp.
Cleanliness and grand preparation at the ghats: To maintain the sanctity of the Chhath festival, the district administration and local youth conducted a comprehensive cleanliness campaign at all the Chhath ghats, and attractive lighting arrangements were also made. Special care was taken of purity in making Prasad, which is the soul of this festival. The tunes of traditional songs kept resonating on the ghats, immersing the devotees in the ocean of faith. This year also this festival became a medium for environmental protection and strengthening community unity.
NDRF, SDRF and police deployment: Giving priority to security, the district administration deployed a large number of police forces, NDRF and SDRF teams under the leadership of magistrates at all the ghats. Uninterrupted power supply was ensured so that there is no inconvenience during night vigil and Arghya. The District Magistrate, Senior Superintendent of Police and local MLA themselves visited the ghats and took stock of the situation, so that lakhs of devotees could celebrate the festival without any incident.
Crowd of devotees gathered at 350 ghats in Chhapra district: This year in Chhapra district, Chhath devotees offered Arghya to Lord Sun at about 350 ghats, out of which more than 100 ghats, despite being dangerous, remained safe due to security cover. Lakhs of devotees gathered on Saryu-Ganga from Manjhi to Sonpur, Gandak River from Panapur to Sonpur and ponds of the district. During the Arghyas on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, the ghats were filled with faith, where the atmosphere resonated with the chanting of “Jai Chhathi Maiya”.
Lakhs of migrants reached Bihar by 12,000 special trains: In view of the Chhath enthusiasm, the Railway Ministry operated more than 12,000 special trains for Bihar, which will run from October 28 to November 30. This number is 50 percent more than last year, which made it easier for migrant laborers to return home. Chhath devotional songs were played at stations like Patna, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, while medical booths and crowd management made the journey smooth. This initiative further increased the brightness of the festival.
Confluence of faith amid election turmoil: Due to the assembly elections being held a week after 2025, leaders of various political parties were seen active in this Chhath festival, which became a medium of public contact. Opposition parties raised questions on overcrowded trains, but the Railway Minister defended the system of special trains. This festival not only became a symbol of religious unity but also strengthened social harmony, which gives a message of peace in the upcoming election environment.