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On the occasion of Chhath Puja, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Yadav spoke to ANI and extended his wishes for the festival. He highlighted that Chhath is dedicated to the Sun God and holds great significance, with lakhs of people celebrating on the banks of the Ganga ghat.
"...We worship the Lord Sun. The setting sun is worshipped. Lakhs of people come to the banks of the Ganga Ghat to celebrate it..." he said. While Chhath is usually celebrated with a ton of energy in Kartik month according to the Hindu calendar, however, in numerous regions of India, the celebration is also held during Chaitra. Today, on the third day, people across Bihar gathered at local ghats to offer Arghya to Lord Surya on this day of Chhath Puja. Sandhya Puja is dedicated to the setting sun. At sunset, families gather by water bodies to make offerings of fruits, sweets, and thekua, presenting them as prasad to Lord Surya, accompanied by prayers and hymns in honour of Chhathi Maiya. The Chhath Puja during this month is additionally referred to as Chaiti Chhath. Chhath is one of the significant celebrations in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and other parts of the country. In certain parts of northern India, particularly the Braj area, it is also called Yamuna Chhath. The Chhath Puja festival began with Nahay-Khay on the Chaturthi Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha, focused on purification and preparation, followed by Kharna on Panchami Tithi, Chhath Puja on Sashti, and concluding with Usha Arghya on Saptami Tithi. Chhath Puja spans four days and involves strict rituals and fasting to express gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth. The festival is primarily celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Nepal, as well as by the diaspora from these regions. (ANI)
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