Assam CM Offers Chhath Puja Prayers at Pandu Ghat

GUWAHATI: Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, went to Pandu Ghat in Guwahati on Monday morning to participate in the Chhath Puja celebrations.

CM Sarma wished everyone a happy Chhath Puja and praised the devotees' efforts for staging the ceremony in such a magnificent manner.

He also tweeted on his Twitter handle, "Felt blessed to have visited Pandu Port Ghat on the bank of Brahmaputra & spend time with devotees of Chhath Maiyya. It was really a divine feeling to be flanked by the devout performing #ChhathPuja. Prayed to Chhath Maiya for joy, peace & prosperity for all."

Planning goes into each event honoring the Sun and Chhathi Maiya. There is no practice of idol worship, and priests or purohits are not required to preside over the rituals.

"Nahaay Khay," the first component of Chhath Puja, is followed by "Kharna," "Sanjhka Aragh," and "Bhorka Aragh," the third and fourth components. The Chhath rites include holy bathing, fasting, not drinking any water for four days (vrata), standing in cold water, and offering prasad and arghya to the setting and rising suns.

Fruits in miniature bamboo baskets, together with thekua, khajuria, tikri, and kasar, are included in the prasad giving. There is no salt, onions, or garlic on the entire menu, which is fully vegetarian. Food purity preservation is emphasized.

The majority of "parvaitin," or festival devotees, are often female.

Additionally, thousands of worshippers flocked to ghats and improvised ponds all over Delhi on Sunday to worship the Sun God as part of Chhath Puja celebrations, breaking two years of restrictions brought on by Covid.

Devotees, especially ladies observing the difficult 36-hour "Nirjala Vrat," sing folk songs and devotional songs while knee-deep in water at ghats or temporary ponds, offering "arghya" to the Sun God.

Some devotees claimed they were forced to pray and perform 'arghya' at temporary ghats because they were not permitted to enter Yamuna for the Puja.

"To perform Chhath Puja, we are here. Despite the good preparations made by the government, we have been instructed to do the rites at ghats constructed near the Yamuna River instead "Laxmi Nagar resident Raghunath Kant Said he performed Chhath Puja at the ITO ghat. 

Also read: Guwahati Police Issues Traffic Restrictions in the City for Chhath Puja

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