Chhath — Bihari community's much-awaited festival was celebrated with great gusto in Surat on Saturday. Members of the community gathered at weir-cum-causeway in the evening, where puja rituals began with the setting sun. The puja will conclude with offering prayers at sun rise on Sunday.
Though many had gathered near lakes or ponds in their own areas, majority of community members gathered at weir-cum-causeway, where special arrangements for offering puja was arranged by the Bihar Vikas Parishad of Surat. Temples and ranches were created by the parishad so that members can offer puja by members who will stay at the spot for the entire night and will offer prayers in the morning too.
According to estimate more than two-three lakh Biharis had gathered at the weir-cum-causeway, while equal number of members offered puja from other places in the city. Apart from adults, youths and children took part in the festival in large number.
“This is the most important festival for Biharis and it helps maintain a bond with our homeland,” said Madhukar Sinha, a resident of Udhna. Performing Chhat brings peace, prosperity and wellness in one's family, he said. Office bearers of Bihar Vikas Parishad (BVP) in Surat said that Chhat has assumed dimensions of a national festival like Holi, which is slowly being celebrated now by members of other communities too.
