PM Modi leads Chhath Puja greetings in India

As the Chhath Puja festivities concluded on Thursday morning with 'Arghya' rituals, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended warm wishes to the citizens on the holy occasion.

The Prime Minister remarked that the four-day rituals of Mahaparv Chhath would fill citizens with new energy and enthusiasm.

"The glimpse of nature and culture seen in the four-day ritual of Mahaparva Chhath is going to fill the countrymen with new energy and enthusiasm. Many congratulations to all the countrymen on the auspicious occasion of morning Arghya," PM Modi stated in a post on X.

Devotees all across the country offered 'Arghya' to the rising Sun on Friday morning. They gathered at various places in the country, at the riverbanks and ghats to offer Arghya on the last day of the four-day long festival.

After the holy offering, parents pray to 'Chhatti Maiya' for the protection of their children as well as the happiness and peace of their whole family.

A huge throng of devotees were spotted giving 'Arghya' to the rising Sun from different parts of the country, including the national capital, where devotees offered prayers at a ghat in ITO.

A devotee who had gathered with her family at Geeta Colony said that she was excited about celebrating the entire festival.

"I have gathered here with my whole family to celebrate the occasion. We are all very excited that we could celebrate the whole festival," said a devotee who had gathered with her family at Geeta Colony.

In Noida, devotees gathered at the Sector 21 stadium to offer the 'Surya Arghya'.

With today morning's 'Arghya', the Chhath Puja celebration, a four-day festival, has marked its end. It is believed to be one of the hardest festival and is celebrated to offer prayers to the Sun God. It includes 36-hour-long fasting with other rituals.

The four days are marked as Nahay-Khay on the Chaturthi Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha, a day of purification, followed by Kharna on Panchami Tithi, Chhath Puja on Sashti, and will conclude with Usha Arghya on Saptami Tithi.

In the four-day celebration, fasting is done by worshippers to express gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth.

The festival is primarily celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, parts of Nepal, and by diaspora communities from these regions.

(ANI)