Chhath Puja preparations in full swing

All arrangements have been made to conduct Chhath Puja at the Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) and the Durgiana Temple.

Mahipal Singh, founder of Bihar Vikas Manch, said the main day of the festival falls on Monday and thousands of people are expected to gather near the canal and Durgiana’s Sarovar to take a ritual dip. He added that trains to Bihar from Amritsar railway station were running empty as majority of people decided to stay back and celebrate the festival locally.

The festival is especially popular among communities from Bihar and neighbouring parts of Uttar Pradesh. It involves worshipping both the rising and setting sun. With a large migrant population from Bihar residing in Amritsar, Chhath Puja has become a grand and highly visible event in the city.

Devotees perform the puja near canals or rivers and this year, more than 30,000 migrants are expected to participate. Chhath Puja originated in Bihar, where the sun is revered as a symbol of fertility and prosperity. Women primarily perform the puja to seek blessings for the well-being of their families. The celebration has spread to other states, including Punjab, largely due to migrants settling there in search of livelihood.