Ghats being cleaned, final prepartions for Chhath underway in Delhi
Nov 08, 2021
New Delhi [India], November 8 : With the commencement of the four-day Chhath festival with 'Nahay Khay' on Monday, the ghats of the national capital are being cleaned as the last-minute preparations for the festival are underway.
Amid the toxic foam, people also took a dip in the Yamuna river near Kalindi Kunj in Delhi on the first day of Chhath Puja.
While speaking to ANI, Randheer Kumar, President of Chhath Puja Samiti of Vikas Nagar area said that though the number of COVID-19 cases is lesser than the previous year, they are ensuring that the people follow all the necessary precautions.
"Chhath Puja is a festival of faith. People come together to celebrate this 'mahaparv' with joy. We will follow all the COVID-19 protocols here at the ghat. I urge people to maintain distance and avoid gatherings. We are celebrating this festival for decades and this year, our volunteers at the ghat are ensuring that the people follow all the necessary precautions in wake of the pandemic. We will provide masks and sanitisers to the people too," said Kumar.
Earlier on November 5, the Delhi government declared November 10 as a public holiday this year on the account of Chhath Puja.
Chhath Puja is dedicated to the Sun God and is mainly observed by the people from Bihar, Jharkhand and bordering areas in Uttar Pradesh.
As per the Hindu tradition, devotees worship the Sun God and his wife Usha to express gratitude and seek their blessings. Devotees gather and take a holy dip in rivers, ponds, and other water bodies during the four-day festivities.
This year, the festival will begin from November 8 with the 'Nahai Khai' ritual and will conclude on November 11 with devotees performing 'Usha Arghya' (prayers to the rising sun). The main celebration is on November 10 when devotees will offer 'argha' to Sun God.
