Varanasi: The four-day Chhath puja concluded with offering arghya (obeisance) to the rising sun on Monday. The entire stretch of the riverfronts of Ganga and Varuna and other water bodies witnessed huge crowds of devotees to worship the Sun god.Not only in Varanasi, the festival was also celebrated with great zeal in other adjoining districts including Chandauli, Mirzapur, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Ballia, Azamgarh, and Mau.The devotees assembled on the bank of rivers well before the daybreak. The vratis stood in knee-deep water with folded hands in honour of the Sun God. The morning arghya started as soon as the sun became visible in the sky. The rituals of Chhath puja had started from November 17 with nahay-khay. On Saturday, devotees observed a day-long fast and performed another ritual of kharna where they prepared kheer. The women, fasting since Saturday, broke the fast after offering arghya to the rising sun on Monday. While police had ensured traffic diversions on the city routes to avoid problems for the devotees, district administration and VMC had also made elaborate arrangements for extra lighting to avoid difficulties for them in offering puja. Heavy police force and PAC personnel were deployed for crowd regulation.We also published the following articles recentlyDevotees offer arghya to setting Sun on third day of Chhath pujaLakhs of devotees gathered at the ghats along the Ganga and Varuna rivers in Varanasi to offer arghya to the setting sun on the third day of the Chhath festival. Similar scenes were observed in other districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. The devotees, carrying baskets with fruits and vegetables, performed puja and offered prayers for the well-being of their families. The police ensured traffic diversions and the district administration arranged for proper lighting and security. The festival will conclude on Monday with devotees offering arghya to the rising sun.Four-day Chhath concludes with morning arghyaThe four-day Chhath festival concludes with worshippers gathering on riverbanks and other water bodies to offer morning arghya to the rising sun. Many devotees gathered at ghats along the Ganges in Patna, while others opted for lakes and ponds to avoid large crowds. The district administration provided facilities for convenience, and security measures including CCTV cameras and drones were in place. Some devotees created artificial ponds on their terraces to perform the rituals. In some areas, puja pandals and big screens were installed for devotees to watch the cricket World Cup finals.Chhath Puja 2023 Date and Time: From Nahaye Khaye to Usha Arghya, Know Puja Rituals and SignificanceChhath Puja is a four-day Hindu festival celebrated with devotion and reverence in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal. It is dedicated to worshiping Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya. The festival started on November 17, 2023, and will conclude on November 20, 2023. The four main days of the festival are Nahaye Khaye, Lohanda and Kharna, Sandhya Arghya, and Usha Arghya. Each day has its significance, including bathing in rivers, fasting, offering prayers to the setting and rising sun, and distributing prasad among family members.

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