Jamshedpur all set Chhath festivities

Jamshedpur: The spirit of devotion and purity will once again envelop the city and neighbouring regions as one of the biggest festivals of Bihar and Jharkhand — Chhath — begins on Saturday with the traditional ‘Nahay-Khay’ rituals. The four-day-long festival, dedicated to the worship of the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, is an occasion where faith transcends barriers of age, class and status, uniting the Bihari community in deep spiritual fervour and cultural pride.

From the banks of rivers and ponds to rooftops and courtyards, preparations are in full swing as devotees, known as vratis, gear up for the first ritual of the festival. On ‘Nahay-Khay’, devotees take a holy dip in rivers, ponds or other water bodies and thoroughly clean their homes. They eat a single meal of rice, bottle gourd (lauki), and gram pulse — food prepared in the purest form to mark the beginning of the fast.

The second day, known as Kharna, will be observed on Sunday. On this day, the vratis observe a day-long fast which ends only after offering prasad of jaggery-based kheer, roti, and fruits in the evening. The next 36 hours are spent in absolute fasting without food or water, a feat of devotion and endurance that reflects the festival’s strict discipline and purity.

On the third day, the devotees will gather along riverbanks, ghats, and water reservoirs to offer the first arghya to the setting sun, also known as sanjhiya arghya. Women dressed in traditional attire, carrying baskets filled with fruits, sugarcane, and thekua (a traditional sweet), will sing devotional songs in praise of the Sun God, seeking blessings for prosperity, health, and happiness of their families.

The final day of Chhath, on Tuesday, will see the offering of bihaniya arghya to the rising sun, marking the conclusion of the festival. With folded hands and deep devotion, the vratis express gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on earth and energizing nature.

“This festival is not just about rituals; it’s about discipline, purity, and gratitude to nature,” said Shanti Devi, a resident of Birsanagar, as she began her preparations. “We will start with lauki-bhaat. The entire family joins in, and even those living outside return home to celebrate.”

Local administration and volunteers have begun cleaning ghats, arranging lighting, and ensuring safety measures for the devotees. Markets are already abuzz with people buying bamboo baskets, earthen lamps, sugarcane, fruits, and other items needed for rituals.

For the people of Bihar and Jharkhand, Chhath is not merely a festival — it is an emotion that binds generations together through devotion, simplicity, and reverence for the life-giving Sun.