Meghalaya: Devotees observe Chhath Puja in numbers

 Shillomg: Devotees Monday evening thronged various Chhath ghats “across the Garo Hills region to offer prayers to the Sun as part of the Chhath festival. The celebrations will conclude Tuesday morning, with devotees worshipping the rising sun.”

Devotees of Chhathi Maiyya, gathered at designated Chhath ghats to offer prayers and take ritual dips in the cold morning waters. The festival is unique in that devotees worship the setting sun on the evening before, and the rising sun the following morning, reports Shillong Times.

Celebrated every year six days after Diwali, usually between October and November, “the festival honours the Sun God (Surya). The ancient Hindu Vedic tradition is dedicated to thanking the Sun for sustaining life on Earth and seeking blessings for prosperity and fulfilment of wishes.”

The festival involves fasting by both men and women over four days, with devotees refraining from even drinking water (Vratta).

The fast is broken only after prayers are offered to the rising sun on the final day. Rituals include bathing, fasting, standing in water for extended periods, and offering prasad (sacred food) and arghya (water offerings) to both the setting and rising sun.

Some devotees also perform prostration marches as they proceed towards the riverbanks.

In Tura, the puja was held at the dedicated Chhath Ghat near the Babupara stream, while in Phulbari, large crowds gathered along the Jinjiram River to offer prayers.

The event in Tura was organised by the Tura Chhath Puja Committee, led by president Santosh Tiwari and secretary Vivek Srivastava.

Also Read: Assam Governor attends Chhath Puja

The committee members expressed gratitude to the district administration and the police for ensuring a peaceful and well-managed celebration.

“Our festival ends on the morning of the fourth day with prayers by devotees to the rising sun (Usha). We pray to the Sun God (Surya) and to Chhathi Mai (who is the embodiment of five other gods, including Durga and Saraswati, among others) for their blessings in our lives,” said Rahul Gupta, executive member of the committee, during the festivities.

The celebrations will conclude Tuesday morning with devotees taking a dip at the ghats and offering prayers to the Sun God.