Thousands perform Chhath Puja along Chachoki distributary

Our Correspondent

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Phagwara, November 17

About 30,000 migrants, mostly from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, performed Chhath Puja this evening by offering ‘ark’ to the setting sun along the Chachoki distributary in Phagwara while thousands other performed puja near Sutlej River at Phillaur.

Water was streamed in especially for the occasion as the canal otherwise had been dry for the past several years with shrubs, filth, and litter strewn in and around.

It has been learnt that political bigwigs had approached irrigation officials for securing the flow of water in the distributary in order to win over the migrants as Chhath is one of the biggest festivals the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Water was flown to Chachoki canal from a tube-well installed near it last year. Efforts of Chief Parliamentary Secretary Som Parkash were significant in its installation.

A carnival-like atmosphere prevailed at the site near Chachoki canal on the periphery of Phagwara.

Migrants burst crackers, illuminated their houses and organised langars. Bihari youth themselves regulated traffic on the GT Road.

Punjabis have also taken a fancy for this festival. They participated in it, some out of political compulsions and others out of curiosity.

Some of them brought trolley loads of raddish while others gifted boxes of apples. Some Punjabi women also observed Chhath fast.

Chhath is marked by rigorous fasting for two days during which even drinking of water is prohibited.

It is harder than Karva Chauth, the fast observed by married women in Punjab. Chhath is performed by married women for the welfare of their children, especially sons.

Ravi Kumar and Anil Kumar, both brothers from Bihar, while talking to Jalandhar Tribune disclosed that the real name of the festival was Ravi Khashti Vrata, meaning a fast for sun observed for six days after Diwali.

They traced the origin of the fast to the days of Mahabharta and claimed that even Kunti used to observe it.

After the ‘ark’ to the setting Sun, a religious ceremony called ‘kosi’ will be held in homes with puja and Chhath hymns, they informed.

Then ‘ark’ will be offered to the rising sun tomorrow after which the fast will end.