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As people across the country celebrate the third day of Chhath Puja, folk singer Malini Awasthi performed at a grand celebration in Lucknow on Saturday.
Speaking about her association with the festival, the singer said she has been performing at the event for nearly 15 years and spoke about the special connection between Chhath Puja and the people of Purvanchal living in Lucknow. While speaking to ANI, Awasthi said that the Gomti River holds special importance for people who cannot travel to their hometowns to celebrate the festival. She also spoke about performing in front of devotees and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This is perhaps the fifteenth or sixteenth time I have come to perform at this grand Chhath festival, organized by the Akhil Bharatiya Bhojpuri Samajalthough Lucknow is part of the Awadh region, such a large number of people from the Purvanchal community reside here that they dont need to travel back home; the Gomti River transforms into the Ganges for themit is my good fortune to have had the opportunity to perform here today, in the presence of the Chief Minister, she said. The folk singer further spoke about the importance of devotion during the festival, saying that performing at Chhath Puja is not just about entertaining people but also about being part of their prayers and faith. On a day like this, one does not sing for the sake of a crowd, but for the sake of devotion, for the devotees themselvesthe Chief Minister himself hails from the Purvanchal region, from Gorakhpur, where the Chhath festival is celebrated with immense enthusiasm, she added. Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, Surya, and Chhathi Maiya. The festival is celebrated with prayers and rituals, with devotees observing a strict fast and offering prayers for the health, happiness and well-being of their families. The celebrations begin with Nahay Khay, when devotees take a holy bath and prepare traditional food. The second day, known as Kharna, involves fasting from sunrise to sunset. Devotees break their fast after offering prayers and eating traditional prasad. The third day is considered one of the most important parts of the festival. Devotees gather at riverbanks and other water bodies to offer Arghya to the setting Sun, a ritual known as Sandhya Arghya. The festival concludes on the fourth day with Usha Arghya, when devotees offer prayers to the rising Sun before breaking their fast. This year, Chhath Puja began with Nahay Khay on November 13, followed by Kharna on November 14. Sandhya Arghya was performed on November 15, while the celebrations will conclude with Usha Arghya on November 16. (ANI)
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