Millions offer prayers to Sun god in Bihar Spirituality

Millions of Hindus across Bihar celebrated Chhath festival Monday by making ritual offerings to the Sun god on the banks of rivers, ponds and other water bodies.

Large numbers of people, mostly women, thronged banks of rivers including the Ganga, Gandak and Kosi as well as big and small ponds and water bodies to offer prayers and prasad or holy offerings to the Sun god.

Devotees in this Bihar capital had difficulty finding any spot where the Ganga offered clean, knee-deep waters, as the river here is very polluted and has drifted away from its traditional route.

"We have been facing this problem for the last five-six years but it is getting alarming year after year as the river has shifted its course and gone away from the city," said Kanti Devi, a devotee who prayed at the Collecteriat Ghat.

Colourful idols of the Sun god riding his chariot with seven horses, a new attraction this year, were sold on riverbanks, which were decorated and cleaned.

Chhath is celebrated by Hindus in Bihar six days after Diwali, the festival of lights, and is the state's most popular festival of the state. Married women lead the preparations and keep fasts.

"It is a festival of faith, purity and devotion to the Sun god," said Kameshwar Singh, a businessman.

Many Muslims helped Hindus in preparations, including the cleaning of roads, lanes and water bodies ahead of the rituals and prayers.

Over the years, Chhath has become a festival closely identified with Bihar - comparable to Bihu of Assam, Pongal of Kerala and the Ganesh festival of Maharashtra.

People in villages and cities, cutting across class, caste and religion, join hands to celebrate the festival. Decorative structures erected by different Chhath festival organisers add glamour to the celebrations.

Elaborate arrangements are made at riverbanks by officials and voluntary organisations. The Patna district administration banned the sailing of boats in the Ganga and deployed three patrol boats.

The festival will conclude Tuesday morning after devotees make offerings to the rising sun following the prayers and worship Monday evening.