Markets in Nepal abuzz as devotees prepare for Chhath festival

Birgunj [Nepal], October 26 : Thousands of shoppers continue to throng the main marketplace in the city of Birgunj near the Indian city of Raxaul as preparations for Chhath enters final phase for the devotees.

The Hindu festival of Chhath that last for four-days commenced on Saturday with the first ritual, 'Nahay Khay,' drawing massive crowds at various ghats. Devotees thronged riverbanks to take a holy dip and offer prayers to the Sun God, marking the beginning of the auspicious Chhath Mahaparv.

On Sunday, the second day of Chhath Puja, known as Kharna, devotees are observing a fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from both food and water. The fast is broken only after making offerings to the Sun God at sunset.

Dedicated to the worship of the Sun god and his sister Chhathi Maiya, the festival emphasises purity, gratitude, and the well-being of one's family.

"I am here at the Birgunj linkroad making last minute purchase for the Chhath- today it's Kharna. We perform rituals in the evening (at home), I have purchased the essentials for the rituals- it consists the sugarcane and other varieties of fruits in the market," Aman Srivastav, a shopper from the city of Birgunj in Nepal told ANI.

The four-day Chhath Mahaparv, dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, begins with the sacred ritual of Nahay-Khay. This year, the festival will be celebrated from October 25 to 28, with rituals including Nahay-Khay on Chaturthi Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha, Kharna on Panchami, Chhath Puja on Sashti, and concluding Usha Arghya on Saptami.

"For the rituals we need sugarcane, apples, oranges, special rice grains and other varieties of fruits which are pre-requisite for this festival as it is said that Chhati Maiya demands it all. We have been celebrating this biggest festival with grandeur and fervor by the Hindu devotees," Deepak Srivastav, another devotee told ANI.

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