MP Minister Sarang reviews preparations for Chhath Puja in Bhopal

Bhopal, Oct 22 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh is gearing up for Chhath Puja, the revered four-day festival dedicated to the Sun god, to be celebrated from October 25 to 28 this year.

Thousands of devotees, mainly from Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, who are living in different parts of the state, will gather to observe the traditional rituals with devotion and discipline.

The State's sports and co-operative minister, Vishvas Sarang on Wednesday inspected Chhath Ghats prepared in Narela Assembly constituency in Bhopal and issued necessary instructions to the officials.

Sarang told IANS that he inspected works related to cleaning, levelling, lighting, and security at Chhat Ghats as the Madhya Pradesh government is fully committed to ensuring that this year’s Chhath is celebrated in a more organised manner than ever before.

"The state government has already instructed officials, including district administrations to make the Chhath Ghats ready for the devotees. This is a festival where people from all sections offer prayers to the Sun," Sarang stated.

In Bhopal, devotees perform Chhath Puja at various ghats along the Upper Lake and other locations like Sheetal Das ki Bagiya to perform rituals for the Sun god.

Preparations are made for the festival, including the preparation of numerous temporary and permanent ghats, to accommodate the large number of devotees who offer prayers, especially to the setting and rising Sun.

Public services are also prepared to be in place, such as lighting, drinking water, and clean arrangements at the ghats. Special trains also run during the festival season to handle the increased passenger traffic.

According to the Hindu calendar, Chhath Puja is celebrated on the sixth day of Kartik month. Chhath Puja, also known as Surya Shashti, is a bathing festival followed by a four-day period of abstinence and ritual purity.

Chhath Puja is celebrated as a tribute to the Sun god and symbolises gratitude to nature, purity and harmony with the environment.

--IANS

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