Patna, Oct 26 (IANS): Ahead of the approaching Chhath Puja festival, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took proactive steps to oversee preparations in Patna to ensure a smooth experience for devotees.
On Saturday, he inspected the Ganga Ghats, a key site for the four-day ritual of Surya Upasana (sun worship) which will begin six days after Diwali.
Recognised as a significant festival, Chhath Mahaparva draws large numbers of worshippers to the Ganga Ghats for ritualistic worship of the Sun God.
To ensure that facilities are fully prepared, the Chief Minister boarded a steamer at Nasriganj Ghat, accompanied by Cabinet Ministers and senior officials, and reviewed the conditions across various Ganga Ghats.
Kumar issued clear directives to Patna district administration, emphasising that all arrangements including sanitation, lighting, crowd management, and adequate security be thoroughly managed. He underscored the importance of preventing any lapses, prioritising the comfort and safety of Chhath devotees.
With the Chief Minister’s guidance, the Patna administration is expediting the preparations, aiming to create a secure and well-facilitated environment for worshippers during Bihar's most culturally significant festival.
Preparations for Chhath Mahaparv are actively underway across Patna’s Chhath Ghats, with District Magistrate Dr Chandrashekhar Singh personally overseeing the arrangements.
This year, 109 Ghats in the urban area will be available for Chhath Vratis (devotees observing the fast). However, the rising water levels of the Ganga River have posed additional challenges for the Patna district administration.
To ensure effective management and safety, the Ghats have been divided into 19 sectors; each sector is assigned a dedicated magistrate. The administration is also expected to release a list of potentially dangerous Ghats soon, where performing Chhath rituals will be prohibited to maintain public safety.
The Chhath festival will follow its traditional schedule with Nahai-Khaai on November 5, the ritual of cleansing and purification. Kharna is on November 6, when the devotees will observe a day-long fast, breaking it in the evening with a ritual meal (Khir-Roti).
Sandhya Arghya is scheduled on November 7, when devotees will offer water to the setting Sun (God Bhaskar).
Ugha Arghya will be on November 8. The festival concludes with an early morning offering to the rising Sun.