Covid or no Covid rooftop chhath puja is gaining popularity among the residents of people residing in high rise buildings here at coal capital.
However, most of the commoners who hold puja in public ponds and water bodies are well prepared to defy the new directive of state government owing Covid.
Arvind K Sinha, resident of a multi storied building in heart of the coal capital said, “ keeping in mind the rising pollution level in water bodies and stagnant ponds we hold the chat on a roof top made pond.” Six to eight families too hold chhath on the rooftop pond here, he said. Sinha is the lone male devotee who holds chhath in the building that has more than sixty flats.
Ranju Singh, another devotee, who holds chhath since last fifteen years said, “It's safe, water is clean thus prefers roof top chhath”. Ponds have been constructed on private buildings too.
SN Singh of Bartand, who holds puja on his house roof said, it's safe and saves time thus we decided to hold the festival on pond made on roof. The water is filled on day of chhath, he said.
Amidst the rising popularity of rooftop chhath, common people are well prepared to hold the festival at water bodies. People have started demarcating the area on banks of ponds by putting names after cleaning the areas . This was seen at Rani Talab and Raja Talab located at Dhaiya and Sabbalpur localities today.
One of the devotees Sumit Kumar who was marking the area at Rani Pond said, “We are prepared to face any eventuality. Since we have no space to make pond at home we have no choice but to hold the festival in public pond.” Preparation for holding chhath is on at Jharia Raja pond, Khokhan Talab ,lock tank besides others here at Dhanbad.