Chhath festival celebrations begin with religious fervour in Bihar

On the first day of the festival known as 'Nahai Khai', devotees after taking a dip in various rivers, ponds and reservoirs carried water to their houses for preparing offerings. They cleaned houses and surroundings to create a pious atmosphere for the festival.

Devotees will once again take a holy dip in various rivers, ponds and reservoirs on the second day of the four-day Chhath festival, known as 'Kharna or Lauhanda' before cooking special food (Prasad) for the worship of Sun God in the evening. 

After the worship of Sun God, offerings of kheer (rice delicacy), ‘puris’ and bananas will be distributed among family members and friends.

Devotees or ‘vratis’ will keep a day-long fast for the occasion but more strenuous 36-hour fast would begin after they would eat second day evening Prasad. 

They would spend the third day of the festival in preparing the ‘prasad’ including traditional offering ‘Thekua’ and would also offer ‘Arghya’ (offerings) to setting sun on the banks of various rivers and other water bodies.

On the final day of the four-day Chhath festival, known as 'Paran', devotees will offer ‘Arghya’ to the rising sun, making it sure that they repeat their religious chores at the same place where they performed evening 'Araghya'.

The festival concludes with breaking of the fast by devotee or "vratis".  Relatives and friends visit houses of the devotees to receive ‘prasad’.