Guwahati, 27 October (HS): The evening Arghya (Sandhya Arghya) of the grand festival of faith and Sun worship, Chhath Mahaparv, was performed on Monday with deep devotion and reverence. As dusk fell, devotees gathered at riverbanks, ponds and artificial ghats to offer Arghya to the setting sun. Across Guwahati and various parts of Assam and the Northeast, lakhs of devotees participated in the ritual, filling the atmosphere with spiritual fervour.

Thousands of fasting man and women, adorned in new traditional attire, offered milk, water, fruits, and thekua—the traditional prasad—to Lord Surya. The air resonated with devotional songs dedicated to Chhathi Maiya, creating a deeply spiritual ambiance at the ghats.

The local administration had made elaborate security arrangements, with SDRF and NDRF teams deployed at several locations to ensure safety. Devotees will conclude the four-day-long Chhath festival on Tuesday morning by offering Arghya to the rising sun.

The Chhath festival symbolizes devotion to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, conveying messages of purity, discipline, faith and environmental harmony. On this occasion, Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and several dignitaries extended their warm greetings to the people.---------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash