1 2 Prayagraj: The festival of Chhath started with Nahay-Khay (bath and have food) ritual on Tuesday. A large number of women, along with their family members, arrived at the banks of the rivers Yamuna and Ganga to begin the four-day festival of worshipping Surya (Sun). Women began their 36-hour fast wishing for the happiness and prosperity of their children.
On the occasion, prayers and worshipping of Chhath Maiya were done by lighting earthen lamps in the homes of the devotees. They prepared gram dal, gourd vegetable, and rice as prasad as the folk songs praising Chhath Maiya resonated with the resolve of maintaining purity. Kharna will be observed on Nov 6, wherein devotees will make jaggery kheer and offer it to God as prasad.
After consuming the prasad of Kharna, a pledge will be taken to start the fast for 36 hours without water. In this sequence, a crowd of devotees will gather at Sangam and the Ganga-Yamuna banks to offer ‘Arghya' to the setting sun on Wednesday. At Sangam, Baluaghat, Gaughat, Daraganj, and Banyan Ghat, devotees will make altars and offer prayers.
The festival will conclude with offering ‘Arghya' to the rising Sun on November 8. Prior to Tuesday's rituals (that of Nahay-Khay), the process of making and buying Chhath prasad started in the homes of the devotees. Women washed wheat and dried it with precision on the rooftop to make Thekua, another important item of the prasad.
Tuesday's markets were bustling with ritual items required for Chhath puja.