Jamshedpur: With Covid curbs withdrawn devotees throng Chhath ghats

Jamshedpur, Oct 31: Rituals, musical performance and offering the arghya to the Sun God. The Chhath festivities that concluded on Monday painted many hues of the four-day long festival.

After two years of restrictions owing to Covid, river banks across the city witnessed a huge footfall as ‘chhath vratis’ along with their families and friends gathered to offer their second ‘arghya’ (offering) to the rising sun on the last day of Chhath. The arghya on the second or the last day of the four-day Chhath festival is also known as bihaniya.

Right from the Domuhani ghat, Sati ghat, Kapali ghat in Sonari and other ghats like Mango, Pandey, Bhuiyadih, Babudih, Birsanagar, Domuhani, Bagunnagar and the new one being Raghubar Park in Baridih saw huge number of people who came to offer arghya yesterday and today. There are about 22 ghats in the city where Chhath is celebrated.

Women followed men with the dalia (bamboo basket) perched on their head since early morning.

The offering included ‘thekua’ (balls made of rice powder), sugarcane, raddish, sprouted gram, kidney bean, turmeric, coconut, orange, sweet lime, banana and other fruits.

Former Chief minister Raghubar Das too offered the morning arghya to the Sun God along with his family members at the Sidhgora based Surya Mandir ( its Surya Mandir and not Sun Temple)  of which he is also the chief patron.

Das had ensured all kinds of safety at the ghat where Chhath is being celebrated since 2000.

The Surya Mandir in Sidhgora witnessed a crowd of about 30,000 who had come to offer arghya at the artificial reservoir.  The Surya Mandir also witnessed a musical concert by well known playback singers.

“We had taken all the safety precautions and wanted the festival to be the best experience for Chhath vratis. Chhath festival at the Surya Mandir has become one of the major attractions of the city,” said an official of the Surya Mandir Committee.

Compared to previous years, this year saw a huge turnout of devotees in almost all ghats and other venues as because of the prevailing pandemic many preferred to celebrate the festival at their homes — on  terraces and gardens in artificial tubs.

The Mahakaleshwar ghat on the banks of river Kharkai in Jugsalai had one of the best arrangements in terms of its management and facilities. 

Managed by the Mahakaleshwar Chhat Ghat Samity, a not for profit group, this was one of the most decorated ghats in the city that was also equipped with changing rooms for vratis along with two makeshift toilets each for men and women. 

The district administration had made elaborate security arrangements.