Thousands take dip in the Ganga

PATNA: Chaiti Chhath puja began with thousands of devotees taking a dip in the Ganga and carrying the holy water to their home for preparing ‘prasad’ on ‘nahay-khay’ on Wednesday.
The river ghats in the city were abuzz with the devotees, mostly women, and their family members since early morning. Devotional songs sung by them in reverence of Sungod rent the air almost till noon.
Markets were also abuzz with men and women buying puja materials like ‘daura’, ‘soop’, basket, coconut, fruits and earthen stove from the makeshift stalls that have come up in different localities.
The devotees feasted on lauki-rice and washed and dried wheat under the sun. The wheat will be used for preparing ‘prasad’.
“Lauki purifies the body and keeps it hydrated. The fast is for 36 hours. Besides lauki-bhaat, we cook channa-dal as ‘prasad’, but everything without garlic and onion. On ‘kharna’ day on Thursday, we will prepare kheer with jaggery,” said Anjita Prakash, a resident of Agamkuan.
According to Suman Sinha, she celebrates this festival every year as it is believed to ensure the well-being and happiness of family. "All my family members have come home for this festival,” said Tanuja Sharma of Kankerbagh.
The Patna district administration, meanwhile, is making elaborate preparations for the devotees to offer ‘arghya’ from the Ganga ghats to the setting sun on Friday and rising sun on Saturday.