Patna, Nov 15 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nitin Nabin on Sunday wished devotees on the third day of the Chhath Puja festival, as rituals of offering ‘arghya’ to the setting Sun took place across the country.
The BJP Chief, along with his family, performed the Chhath Puja rituals at his residence in Patna.
Speaking to reporters here, Nabin said: “We have offered prayers to Mother Earth and to Lord Bhaskar (the Sun God), to the setting sun. Tomorrow morning, with the rising of Lord Bhaskar, we will offer the second arghya (ritual offering).
“This is our tradition. We pay our respects both to the setting sun and to the rising sun. This great festival of faith is the tradition and culture of Bihar. Today it is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across the state as well as throughout the country. Also, wherever people from Bihar live around the world, they are celebrating it with equal fervour,” he added.
According to the BJP Chief, the ‘Chhath Puja’ festival symbolises cleanliness, purity, sanctity, and discipline.
“There can hardly be a greater form of worship of nature than this. Bihar is among the leading states in worshipping nature through reverence for the Sun God and Mother Ganga. Today, we can proudly say that our culture, our customs, and our traditions fill us with a sense of pride and honour,” Nabin asserted.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also wished countrymen on the sacred occasion, praying for goodwill and harmony to prevail in the society.
Taking to his official X account, the Prime Minister said: “Heartfelt wishes to all fellow citizens for the evening offerings of the great festival of Chhath.”
“May this sacred occasion, dedicated to the worship of nature, bring renewed awareness and vitality to everyone, and further strengthen goodwill and harmony in society. May the grace of the Sun God illuminate everyone’s life. Glory to Mother Chhathi!” he added.
The four-day festival will conclude on Monday morning with the offering of arghya to the rising Sun.
Devotees observing the festival are undertaking a rigorous 36-hour Nirjala fast without consuming even water and are immersed in the worship of Lord Surya.
On Saturday, Chhath devotees performed the Kharna rituals and prepared prasad, including rasiya, kheer and puris, using traditional methods.
The offerings were cooked on clay stoves fuelled by mango wood, maintaining the age-old customs associated with the festival.
–IANS
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