Devotees in Delhi's Geeta Colony staged a protest as the artificial ghats constructed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for Chhath Puja rituals remained dry on Thursday. The devotees took to the streets, chanted slogans, and expressed their discontent, frustrated at being unable to perform Sandhya Puja, which involves offering 'Arghya' to Lord Surya. A devotee, upon arriving at the dry artificial ghat, questioned the Delhi government's arrangements, saying, "Why did they create all these facilities if they weren't going to provide water? We could have celebrated the festival at home. We'll continue our protest if water is not supplied."
Another devotee, voicing his anger, remarked that they could have performed the rituals on their rooftops using tubs filled with water, accusing the government of "insulting" the devotees. "There is no water here for us to complete Chhath Puja. The sun is setting, and our time to offer the 'Arghya' is slipping away. They could have informed us earlier; we could have done this on our rooftops. We feel insulted. The MLA has switched his phone off," a devotee said.
Earlier in the day, Delhi CM Atishi stated that the Delhi government had built ghats across the capital to help Purvanchali residents feel connected to their roots. "These Chhath Ghats have been built across the city so our Purvanchali brothers and sisters never feel far from home," CM Atishi said. Today marks the third day of Chhath, when Sandhya Puja is performed, a ritual dedicated to the setting sun. Families gather near water bodies at sunset, offering fruits, sweets, and thekua as prasad to Lord Surya, accompanied by hymns and prayers to Chhathi Maiya. The Chhath Puja festival began with Nahay-Khay on the Chaturthi Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha, a day of purification and preparation, followed by Kharna on Panchami Tithi, Chhath Puja on Sashti, and will conclude with Usha Arghya on Saptami Tithi. The celebrations will end on November 8.
Chhath Puja spans four days, involving strict rituals and fasting to express gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth. The festival is primarily celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Nepal, as well as by the diaspora from these regions