President Paudel Offers Chhath Prayers at Guhyeshwari Temple

President Ramchandra Paudel on Monday morning visited the Guhyeshwari Temple area on the banks of the Bagmati River to offer prayers and arghya to the setting sun as part of the Chhath festival rituals.

The President was accompanied by First Lady Sabita Paudel, and was welcomed by National Assembly member Bishnu Devi Pudasaini, officials from the Pashupati Area Development Trust, and representatives of the Guhyeshwari Chhath Puja Committee.

Marking the festival observed nationwide with grandeur, President Paudel continued his annual tradition of worshipping the Sun God and Goddess Chhathi Mata at Guhyeshwari, a ritual symbolizing gratitude, purity, and renewal.

This year, over 700 Chhath ghats have been built along the Bagmati River between Guhyeshwari and Gaurighat, up from around 600 last year.

Each site was decorated with lamps, clay idols, and colorful offerings, with devotees gathering in large numbers to observe the sacred evening prayers.

Apart from Guhyeshwari, Chhath celebrations have also adorned riverbanks and ponds across Kathmandu, including Kamalpokhari, Thapathali, Kupandol, Saneepa, and Ramtirtha, where devotees will stay overnight to offer arghya again at sunrise on Tuesday, concluding the four-day festival.

Devotees offered evening arghya to the setting sun on Monday and will remain awake through the night at the Chhath sites until sunrise.

The four-day festival concludes on Tuesday morning as worshippers offer arghya to the rising sun, marking the completion of their fast and prayers.

According to Hindu scriptures such as the Surya Purana, those who observe the Chhath fast with devotion are believed to have their heartfelt wishes fulfilled.

The tradition is also rooted in legends from the Mahabharata, where Draupadi and the Pandavas worshipped the Sun God to overcome their trials during exile, a belief that continues to inspire the observance of this festival today.