CG NEWS: Chhath Puja to begin with “Nhay Khay” on October 25

Raipur, Chhattisgarh:  Four-day Chhath festival, also known as Surya Shasthi, will commence with “Nhay Khay” ritual across the country on October 25. Addressing a press conference at Love Kush Hotel in the state capital on Wednesday, Chief of the Chhath Mahaparva Aayojan Samiti (CMAS) Mahadev Ghat Raipur Rajesh Kumar Singh said that the four-day Chhath festival would be celebrated with great zeal and traditional fervour from October 25 to 28. People in large number will gather at Mahadev Ghat, along Kharun River to celebrate Chhath festival this year. People, who migrated from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh to Chhattisgarh, celebrate Chhath Puja in Raipur, Bilaspur, Bhilai, Jagdalpur, Korba and other parts of the state.

Rajesh Kumar Singh further said that that the Chhath festival is dedicated to the Sun God and his sister Chhathi Maiya in order to thank them for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes. The rituals of the Chhath are rigorous and are observed over a period of four days. The rituals of the festival include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water, standing in water for long periods of time, and offering prasad and arghya to the setting and rising Sun. Some devotees also perform a prostration march as they head for the river banks.

Chhath Puja is celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of the country. Grand festival of Chhath is as a means of purification of body, mind and soul, Singh described.

He informed that in Raipur city, the Chhath festival will be celebrated at over 50 places including Mahadev Ghat and Jhanjh Lake Nava Raipur Atal Nagar. Nhay-Khay will be held on October 25. Kharna ritual will be performed on October 26.  ‘Sandhya Arghya’ will be offered on October 27. Usha Arghya will be offered on October 28. A cultural programme will be held at Mahadev Ghat on October 27. Maha-arti will be held at Mahadev Ghat on October 27 evening. 

Renowned folk singer Swati Mishra of Mumbai will sing Chhath songs and Bhojpuri songs. Renowned Chhattisgarhi singers Tilak Raja Sahu and Keshari Sahu will perform Chhattisgarhi songs. Artists of Sonali and Tarun Chhopda Group, Prayagraj will perform ‘Nritya Naatika’.    Maha-arti will be held at October 27 evening. 

A grand Maha Bhandara will be organized for devotees at Mahadev Ghat on October 28 morning.

All kinds of facilities like parking, lighting and other facilities are being arranged for devotees at Mahadev Ghat. The members of the Samiti along with Raipur Municipal Corporation are cleaning Mahadev Ghat.

Vice Presidents Kanhaiya Singh, Santosh Singh, Publicity Secretaries Brajesh Singh, Rakesh Singh, Treasurer Sunil Singh, Patrons Ravindra Singh, Muktinath Pandey, Parmanand Singh, Ajay Sharma, Satyendra Singh Gautam, Ved Narayan Singh, Jayant Singh, Jai Prakash Singh and other members were present at the press conference.