After two years of restrictions owing to Covid-19, thousands of devotees thronged ghats and makeshift ponds across the Capital on Sunday to worship the Sun God as part of Chhath Puja celebrations.

Chhath Puja, which involves the offering of 'arghya' to the Sun god by the fasting women in knee-deep water, is hugely popular among Purvanchalis — people belonging to Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh — living in Delhi. Devotees, especially women keeping the arduous 36-hour-long fast 'Nirjala Vrat', sang devotional and folk songs and offered 'arghya' to the Sun God while standing in knee deep water at ghats or makeshift ponds.

Chhath puja is celebrated on the sixth day after Diwali and is also known as Surya Sashthi as it is dedicated to the Sun God. It is one of the most popular festivals in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

After two years of Covid-induced restrictions, Chhath Puja is being celebrated this year at public places on a large scale in Delhi. Abha Singh, a devotee and resident of Indraprastha Colony , said inflation has impacted people a lot but this is a sacred festival. "I have been doing Chhath for the last 20 years. Day by day, its popularity is increasing and more people are celebrating it.

"Arrangements are good but it needs to be improved. After two years of Covid, we have come here at a ghat. Hope Chhath Maiya will bless everyone and fulfil every one's wishes," Singh said. Devotees worshipped the setting sun on Sunday evening. They , will also worship the rising sun on Monday morning.

It involves offering 'arghya' to the Sun god by fasting women in knee-deep water. Some devotees said they were not allowed to enter Yamuna for the Puja but had to offer prayers and 'arghya' in makeshift ghats there.

"We are here for Chhath Puja. The government has made good arrangements but we have been asked not to enter Yamuna and instead perform the rituals in ghats made near the river," Raghunath Kant, a resident of Laxmi Nagar who visited ITO ghat for Chhath Puja, said. The Delhi Government has made 1,100 ghats for Chhath Puja across the city this year and has increased the budget 10 times from Rs 2.5 crore in 2014 to nearly Rs 25 crore.Another devotee Ratnesh Jha said it was joyous moment to finally celebrate Chhath Puja on the riverside after two years.

"For the last two years, there were no public celebrations because of the coronavirus pandemic but this year, all have gathered to celebrate Chhath together. This is a special feeling. The government has also made good arrangements for the festival," Jha said.

Meanwhile, several devotees expressed displeasure over the administration in the national capital has put a ban on Chhath Puja festivities in the Yamuna river at Delhi's ITO ghat and Wazirabad Road ghat following the National Green Tribunal’s order.

All the paths leading to the Yamuna river have been closed and civil defence volunteers have been deployed on the road.