Chhath devotees thronged different ghats in Bhojpur

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara: Devotees offered `Arghya’ to the setting Sun God on the third day of four day Chhath festival on Sunday with enthusiasm. Thousands of devotees thronged different ghats on the bank of rivers Ganga and Sone and different ponds and canals. As the Sun was seen setting in the west, devotees clad in yellow sarees or dhotis entered the water and had a dip. They took kalsoop on their hands one by one and their family members offered arghya. After arghya the devotees returned their respective home though some of them stayed at the ghats till late in the evening watching the ghats singing traditional songs in traditional tunes. After returning from the ghats, the devotees filled up ‘koshia’ and changed the kalsoops after washing the fruits.

Though the Bhojpur district administration claimed to have cleaned the ghats and the water of the ponds and canals, the devotees had to take dip in muddy water and wade through muddy path to reach the ghats. People themselves cleaned and prepared the ghats. They swept the roads and sprinkled water on the roads.

Monisha, a devotee, said that filth, garbage and excreta were scattered everywhere and the district administration’s claim was only on paper. She said that she herself complained the DM and the Municipal Commissioner, Ara Municipal Corporation (AMC) but to no avail. She said that the devotees had to perform the purest festival in dirtiest surroundings.