UditVani, Jamshedpur : The four-day-long Chhath Mahaparv, Jharkhand’s most spiritually vibrant and culturally unifying festival, concluded today in Jamshedpur with the sacred Bihaniya Arghya (morning offering) to the rising Sun.
As the first rays of dawn gilded the eastern sky, thousands of Chhath vratis—women observing rigorous fasts and rituals—gathered along the ghats of the Subernarekha and Kharkai rivers, their devotion shimmering as brightly as the morning light itself.
With folded hands, they offered arghya (water oblation) to Surya Dev, the eternal source of life and energy, seeking blessings for prosperity, well-being, and harmony within their families.
The ghats of Domuhani, Subernarekha and Kharkai in various places like Baridih, Sakchi and Adityapur turned into a breathtaking spectacle of faith.
People also offered prayers to Sun God at Hurlung, Chandil and various other water bodies including roof-top tubs.
Devotees, clad in traditional attire, stood immersed waist-deep in the river waters, holding ‘soops’ filled with fruits, sugarcane, and earthen lamps—symbols of purity and gratitude.
The rhythmic chants of “Chhathi Maiya ke jai” echoed through the morning mist, blending with the fragrance of incense and the glimmer of oil lamps floating gently on the water’s surface.
Throughout the city, the festival was marked by unparalleled devotion and communal harmony.
Local administration, civic bodies, and volunteers ensured smooth arrangements, from cleanliness drives to security and medical aid at the ghats.
The preceding days had seen a flurry of religious observances—the Nahay Khay, Kharna, and Sandhya Arghya—each steeped in ritual precision and emotional fervor, culminating in today’s sunrise worship.
As the Sun ascended higher, marking the end of the ritual, smiles and serenity replaced exhaustion. The vratis broke their 36-hour-long fasts, returning home with hearts full of peace and gratitude.
The Chhath festival, beyond its rituals, once again stood as a profound expression of faith, discipline, and environmental harmony—a timeless bond between humankind and nature.
In Jamshedpur today, devotion met dawn — and faith found its reflection in the rising Sun.
