RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Oct.31: The four-day Chhath festival concluded on Monday with Arghya to the rising sun in the Jharkhand capital.
Barring an incident of chain snatching on the Harmu Road, where a miscreant struck a woman returning to her house from temple after Puja, there is no information of any untoward incident from any part of the state capital. However, a formal complaint is yet to be reported at a police station in this regard.
SP (rural) Naushad Alam Ansari, who offered Arghya at Sidrol in Namkum, confirmed the peaceful celebration of the festivals saying it was a great coincidence that the date of the second Arghya coincided with Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. He further added that after offering Arghya he participated in the programme organised at JAP-1 ground to commemorate the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
A rough survey of the city suggested that the celebration was not limited to natural water bodies but many people observed the festival by making arrangements for artificial ponds on their rooftops or in open spaces.
“Water has become dirty in ponds and rivers. Apart from this, there is a rush. Thus I prefer to perform all rituals of Chhath on my rooftop with close family members and relatives,” said a resident of Harmu, who has converted a large plastic bathing tub into a pond for the ritual.
Puja Committees had made elaborate arrangements at Chhath Ghats in coordination with Ranchi Municipal Corporation. Crowds of devotees and their family members were noticed at Hatania Talab near Raj Bhawan where chief minister Hemant Soren offered Arghya with his better half, Kalpana Soren. Other places where Arghya was offered include Ranchi Lake, which is surrounded by localities of Upper Bazar, Kishoreganj, Garikhana, Purani Ranchi, OCC compound and Hindpiri; Argora tank which is close to Harmu and Argora; along with Kanke Dam, Dhurwa Dam, Harmu Rivulet, Button Talab and others.
On Sunday evening during the first Arghya and Monday morning during the second Arghya, the entire city was reverberating with sounds of Chhath songs and instructions from Puja Committee members who were guiding people to reach the Ghats safely.
The impact of municipal elections was observed during the celebrations as aspiring candidates put up their pictures and names on banners congratulating people for Chhat. They also had made arrangements to provide free milk, fruits and other Puja materials free of cost and were taking special care to develop a good rapport with those meeting them.
