Chhath Puja 2024: As part of Chhath festival rituals, devotees across the country offered ‘Arghya’ to the rising Sun on Friday morning. Devotees at various places in the country gathered at riverbanks and offered Argya on the last day of the four-day festival. After the holy offering, parents pray to ‘Chhatti Maiya’ for the protection of their children as well as the happiness and peace of their whole family.

A large number of devotees can be seen offering ‘Arghya’ to the rising Sun on the last day of the festival in Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand and other parts of the country. In the national capital, devotees offered prayers at several ghats including the Yamuna ghat at Kalindi Kunj.

Gathering of devotees for the Chhath Puja at Kalindi Kunj Ghat (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

Women can be seen praying to Suryadev while standing in knee-deep water starting at four in the morning. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

As soon as the sun rises, the last rite of Chhath Puja begins. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

Devotees offering prayer, the polluted water of Yamuna. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

Along with Vrat (without drinking water), the four-day ritual consists of a number of practices, such as bathing in the Ganges, fasting, standing in the water for an extended amount of time, and presenting Arghya to the deity. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

Paying homage to Suryadev and goddess Shashti. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

Not only women, but men of the family actively participate in this festival. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

While the Arghya is presented, they chant “Bolo Ganga Maiya Ki Jai.” In a bamboo basket, the Arghya is served with lemons, coconut, sugarcane, thekua, sandalwood, honey, sweet potatoes, and so on. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

Orange Vermillion is applied on the foreheads of the family members after the offering is complete. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

The ritual comes to an end after the Usha Arghya and prasad are shared among all. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

If someone’s mannat (wish) has been granted, Chhath Parv is an auspicious day for Mundan or the head shaving ceremony. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

 

Heading home. (Image Credits: Ribhu Chatterjee)

Chhath Puja is a four-day festival celebrated to offer prayer to the Sun God. The four days are marked as Nahay-Khay on the Chaturthi Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha, a day of purification, followed by Kharna on Panchami Tithi, Chhath Puja on Sashti, and will conclude with Usha Arghya on Saptami Tithi.

In the four-day celebration, fasting is done by worshippers to express gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth. The festival is primarily celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, parts of Nepal, and by diaspora communities from these regions.