HT Bureau
DIPHU, Nov 8: Chhath Puja, the festival of paying obeisance to the Sun god, was celebrated with festive fervour in various parts of Karbi Anglong on Friday. Women devotees accompanied by men went to the river banks and other water bodies in the wee hours to perform Usha Argh to greet the rising sun.
Though Chhath puja is primarily celebrated in states like Bihar, UP, and Jharkhand, it has gained popularity and acceptance across the hill districts of Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong.
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On the previous evening, i.e., Thursday, devotees offered Sandhya Argh to the setting sun and Chhath Maiya.
One of the major Chhath Puja celebrations was at Jammuna Irrigation Canal, Bakuliaghat in Karbi Anglong, where devotees, taking homemade edibles and fruits along with them in the wee hours, reached the river banks.
One of the devotees, Mukesh Chauhan has informed that around 1200 devotees of women, men and children gathered at the river bank to greet the rising sun.
Large devotees from Bakulia town, Chauhan Basti, Nam Bakulia, Durga Bari, Mura Basti and other adjoining areas came to the river bank for the early morning rituals.
As it was still pitch dark around 3 am lights were fitted on the river banks for conveyance of the devotees. Glittering decorative lights adorned the river banks.
A local arrangement committee was set up to oversee the whole arrangement. A sufficient number of volunteers was engaged to manage the event. Police personnel were also pressed in to control the crowd. A State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team was also made available at the Ghats to act on any eventuality.
As the early sun shows its rays, devotees walk to the water to offer Usha Argh seeking blessings, strength and happiness from the Sun god. With the completion of Usha Argh, the devotees went back home. The offering of edible items and fruits to Surya was brought home and distributed among the community as prasad. The 36-hour fasting from the previous evening was broken after the Usha Argh.
Here in Diphu town devotees performed Usha Argh on the river banks of Diphu River at Panbari, Chutianala, Birla and Sivbari. In all these sites large number of devotees of men, women and children gathered to welcome the rising sun.
