Migrants perform Chhath Puja rituals with native fervour

Hundreds of devotees, most of them migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, performed Chhath Puja on the banks of Sutlej river and canal road here. Dressed in their best, the devotees including children, elderly, women and men were seen traveling in auto-rickshaws and other mode of transport to reach the river and canal banks and offer ‘prasad’ to the sun god. Later, the ‘prasad’ was distributed among others.

Avnish Kumar, a worker at a hosiery factory here, said that he had taken a day off and his entire family and friends were ready to perform the puja that would start by 3 pm and go on till the sunset. “We had kept a fast today and did not have even water. Dressed in our best, we along with the family members went to offer prayers to the sun god to fulfill our wishes. Sweets, fruits, sugarcane, radish and many more items are offered to the sun during the Chhath Puja,” said the devotee.

The migrants had purchased new clothes to be worn on this day and the womenfolk had specially dressed for the occasion. Many of the devotees had brought dhols with them and performed the puja to the accompaniment of dhol beats.

There was a huge rush of devotees near the Sutlej banks and special arrangements were made for the devotees to perform the puja smoothly. Till late in the evening, the puja was performed and early in the morning tomorrow too, devotees will reach the river bank again to worship the rising sun.