Bhopal: Chhath Puja held at Khatlapura Ghat, devotees offer Arghya, cultural programmes organized

Bhopal: The Bhojpuri Utsav Samiti Khatlapura organized the Chhath Puja at Bhopal’s oldest Chhath Ghat, Khatlapura. 

On this occasion, thousands of devotees offered Arghya to the rising sun, marking the conclusion of the Chhath festival. The Samiti also organized a cultural program in which renowned Bhojpuri singer Sonu Pandey and singer Ujala Vishwakarma mesmerized the audience with their devotional songs in praise of Chhath Maiya on Friday. 

The Samiti honored the artists and the talented members of society. Arrangements were also made for tea for the Chhath devotees during the Parana (breaking of the fast). 

On this occasion, the President of the Samiti, Rahul Dubey, Secretary Pankaj Thakur, and other notable members such as Rampratap Singh, Rajat Singh, Surendra Tyagi, Himanshu Pandey, Shatrughan Yadav, Santosh Singh, Chandrashekhar Pandey, Arun Rao, Keshav Rajput, Manoj Mehra, Neelu Singh, Annapurna Rai, and others were present.

Festival concludes with prayers and festivities

The five-day-long Chhath festival concluded on Friday morning in Bhopal with vibrant celebrations and reverent rituals performed by the Bhojpuri community. The festival, dedicated to Chhathi Maiya and the Sun God, ended with gatherings at city’s prominent ghats, where devotees, primarily women, offered prayers to the rising sun.

From as early as 5 a.m., women dressed in traditional attire assembled at the ghats to perform the final rituals of Chhath Puja. The banks of the lake were adorned with decorative sugarcane pavilions, creating a festive ambiance for devotees and onlookers alike. Amid chants and songs dedicated to Chhathi Maiya, the women offered arghya (water offerings) to the rising sun, seeking blessings for the well-being and prosperity of their families.

 

Women played with sindoor

In a symbolic gesture following the prayers, the women played with sindoor (vermillion powder) on each other, adding a joyful touch to the solemn event. The gathering also saw children bursting firecrackers, further enhancing the celebratory spirit of the occasion.

The Bhojpuri community women added to the cultural richness of the festival by singing traditional Chhathi Maiya songs, infusing the atmosphere with devotional fervor. The rituals continued for hours as the women remained engaged in prayers and thanksgiving, marking the culmination of the Chhath festivities with dedication and joy.