Along with other States, including Bihar, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, the festival of Chhatth is being celebrated in Uttarakhand too. The holy city Haridwar has worn a festive look as the four-day puja is underway.
The devotes are now waiting for the dawn to break on Wednesday when they would offer puja to the Surya Deva, the giver of light and life to all under the sun.
The water level of Ganga at Har Ki Pauri remaining shallow seems to have failed to dampen the spirits of the devotees. Many tourists also celebrated the Chaath festival along with the local residents.
Pilgrims facing problems in performing the rituals at Har Ki Pauri went to the Neel Dhara stretch across the Chandi Ghat to perform the rituals. Many of them slammed the Governments of both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand for stopping the flow of Ganga.
The tradition goes that offering Ganga water on the eve of Chatth and milk in the morning to the Sun God brings prosperity at home. The couples who do not have children generally undertake the fasting and pray to God for the offspring.
Although both men and women do the fasting and perform other rituals together the women are markedly visible, clad in their colorful sarees.
People kept cursing the authorities concerned for not releasing water in the Ganga. For the first time, it has happened that the flow of Ganga has remained blocked for so long a time. Generally a day before Diwali, the Ganga flow gets back its normal flow. But this time, things remain the same even days after Diwali.
The patron of Bhojpuri lok Samiti Haridwar R N Upadhyay told The Pioneer that there are lakhs of people hailing from Bihar and Purvanchal in Haridwar who perform the rituals collectively, standing waist deep in Ganga.
Though the broadening and construction work of the canal as part of Ardh Kumbh Mela preparations would be on for some more days the water flow is expected to be resumed from Friday due to pressure put by the Uttar Pradesh irrigation department. There are eight power generating houses along the canal and water supply to places, including Delhi, is being affected.
Speaking to The Pioneer, SDO Upper Ganga Canal Sushil Yadav said, "We have released enough water in the main Neel Dhara of Ganga where devotees can perform the puja. We hope to resume the normal flow of Ganga by Friday night."
Notably, on account of dragging dispute over property transfer, the Ganga canal in Uttarakhand state is still controlled by Uttar Pradesh government despite Uttarakhand being carved out of UP in 2000.