Chhath pooja celebrations begin today

The four day Chhath pooja celebrations has begun in Bihar. The first day of the festival begings today with the ceremony of Nahay Khay.

The festival will end on 14th November and 'Kharna' rituals will be held on Monday. Devotees will pay special prayers to the Sun God on Tuesday evening. After paying special prayers to the rising Sun on Wednesday, the Chhath puja will conclude.

Various ghats along rivers and ponds are being prepared for pooja. Elaborate arrangements have been made at various sun temples of the  state incuding at Aurangabad, Nalanda and Patna. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inspected various ghats along river Ganga in Patna and instructed officials to augment safety steps to avoid untoward incidents.

This festival is celebrated in several parts of the country, primarily in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh,Orissa and Delhi. Devotees started their day with holy bath early in the morning in river Ganga and bring some water to their home to prepare the offerings.

They take only one meal a day known as Kaddu bhat cooked only by using the bronze or soil utensils and mango woods over the soil stove. Kharna is on Monday. On this day devotees keep fast for whole day and break their fast in the evening after sunset on worshiping Sun.

They offer kheer, puris, fruits in the puja. After taking Prasad in the evening, they go on fast without water for the next 36 hours. Standing in knee deep water devotees will pay oblation to the setting Sun on Tuesday. Chhath puja will conclude on Wednesday morning after paying oblation to the rising Sun.

(Featured Image: zeenews.india.com)