The four-day long Chhath festival began today with Nahai Khai ritual on Friday. The festival will conclude with offering of Arghya to the Sun God on Monday morning. As the festival is one of Jharkhand’s biggest festivals, where families get together in celebration, the administration has started making final preparations.
The administration has almost completed cleaning Chhath ghats, marking danger zones and barricading vulnerable water bodies, while devotees were busy buying puja materials at markets. The main rituals at the water bodies will take place in the evening of October 30 and the next morning. Every year, a large number of devotees gather at water bodies across the State such as ponds, rivers, reservoirs and lakes across Jharkhand to worship the rising and setting sun.
Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha said the water level in ponds and other water bodies is a bit higher this year. “We are barricading vulnerable water bodies and marking the danger zones. Cleanliness and proper power supply at Chhath ghats have been ensured,” he said.
Ranchi Mayor Asha Lakra and Senior Superintendent of Police Kishor Kaushal inspected various ponds in the city. Special arrangements have been made at Bada Talab, Kanke Dam and Hatania Talav where a large number of devotees visit every year for offering arghya.
Mahavir Yadav, a member of Chhath Puja Committee Hatania Talav said, “As the festival is being held after two years gap we are making major preparations. The Chhath ghats have been beautifully decorated with proper lighting arrangements. As this year we are expecting a large number of devotees, volunteers will ensure that the festival passes peacefully.”
“The puja committee volunteers will move across the area to ensure that law and order is maintained keeping an eye on anti-social elements,” he added.
It may be noted that a few days back the Chief Minister visited Kanke dam and instructed to keep all the ghats of the state clean and safe for the upcoming Chhath festival.
Hemant Soren gave this instruction after inspecting the cleanliness, sanitation, security and other arrangements at Kanke Dam and Hatnia Talab Ghat in the capital Ranchi.
“The administration should keep all the ghats of the state clean and safe in view of Chhath, the great festival of public faith, starting from October 28. All necessary arrangements should be made on time keeping in mind the convenience of Chhath devotees at all Chhath Ghats,” said Soren.
Meanwhile, the weather office has some good news for Chhath vratis. Weather won’t play a spoilsport during the four-day Chhath festival. IMD’s Ranchi Met Centre predicted clear sky and dry weather over Jharkhand on Friday and in the next 72 hours.
“Weather would be mainly clear over Jharkhand in the next few days. We did not find any adverse weather system for the next 72 -hours in today’s satellite pictures and chart analysis,” said a duty officer at IMD’s Ranchi Met Centre.