Chhath, the four-day festival dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, is being celebrated across Bihar with great devotion and enthusiasm.
Today, is the second day of the festival, observed as Kharna. Devotees are observing a day-long fast and will offer prayers in the evening.
After observing a day-long fast, devotees will offer prayers in the evening and partake of the traditional prasad, which includes jaggery kheer, bananas and Dosti Suhaari – a pair of rotis traditionally prepared and served together.
With the completion of the Kharna rituals, devotees will begin a rigorous thirty-six-hour fast, during which they will abstain from both food and water.
Kharna puja is traditionally performed in the evening, in an atmosphere of complete silence and tranquillity, so that the sacred rituals remain undisturbed.
Tomorrow, devotees will offer Arghya to the setting Sun. The festival will conclude on Monday morning with offerings to the rising Sun.
The festive spirit of Chhath is evident across Bihar, including the capital, Patna. Chhath songs fill the air, while markets are bustling with people buying bamboo baskets, traditional winnowing trays, fruits and earthen stoves.
Elaborate arrangements have been made for the convenience and safety of devotees at prominent Sun temples and Chhath ghats.
These include Punyark Temple in Barh and Ulark Dham in Dulhin Bazar, both in Patna district, as well as the famous Sun Temple at Deo in Aurangabad district.