Preparations Begin For Chhath Puja; Over 150 Ghats To Host Festival

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): As the lights of Diwali fade, Indore is now gearing up for the grand festival of Chhath Puja — the celebration of Sun worship that holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for devotees from Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Thousands of families residing in the city have begun preparations for the four-day festival, which will witness offerings (arghya) to the setting and rising Sun at over 150 locations across Indore.

Mayor-in-Council member Rajendra Rathore inspected the Vijay Nagar Chhath Ghat along with office bearers of the North Eastern Cultural Institute (Madhya Pradesh) to review preparations and ensure arrangements for devotees.

According to the festival schedule, Chhath Mahaparv will begin this year on Saturday, October 25, with the ritual of Nahay-Khay, marking the ceremonial cleansing and preparation for fasting.

On Sunday, October 26, devotees will observe Kharna, a day of fasting that ends with a traditional offering. The following day, Monday, October 27, devotees will stand in ponds and water bodies to offer arghya to the setting sun, while the festival will conclude on Tuesday, October 28, with prayers and offerings to the rising sun.

An estimated 2.5 to 3 lakh devotees are expected to participate in the celebrations across the city this year. As per information, around 150 locations across Indore will host Chhath Puja.

Prominent areas include Scheme No 54 and 78, Banganga, Sukhlia, Shyam Nagar, Tulsi Nagar, Samar Park, Amrit Palace, Pipliyahana, Kalani Nagar, Nipania, Sirpur, Khajrana, Dewas Naka, Aerodrome Road, Rau, and Pithampur.

Various Chhath Puja Committees across the city are busy cleaning, painting, and decorating the ghats to create a devotional atmosphere. Jha emphasised that with the increasing number of participants every year, permanent and grand Chhath Ghats should be developed at major water bodies such as Pipliyahana, Nipania, Sirpur, Khajrana, Tigaria Badshah, and Pipliyapala.