Water Bodies in Terai Glow in Festive Splendor of Chhath

The Chhath festival, one of the most important celebrations in the Mithila region, entered its second day today with devotees observing Kharna, a major ritual of the four-day festival.

The festival formally began on Saturday with Nahay-Khay, marking the start of the holy observance. On the occasion of Kharna today, devotees fast throughout the day without food or water.

In the evening, they prepare kheer (rice pudding) and offer it to the deities before partaking in it as prasad.

The ponds and riverbanks have been cleaned and decorated with lights and flowers for the rituals.

Cleanliness and decorations are being carried out to create a sacred environment for worshippers.

The Chhath festival, deeply rooted in the agrarian culture of Mithilanchal, relies primarily on locally produced items such as rice, wheat and fruits from the devotees’ own fields.

On Monday evening, devotees will gather at ponds and riverbanks to make offerings to the setting sun (Sandhya Arghya), while on Tuesday morning, the festival will conclude with prayers to the rising sun (Bihaniya Arghya) marking the completion of the four-day celebration.