Hyderabad celebrates Chhath Puja

Hyderabad:Thousands of devotees across Bihar, UP, and Jharkhand gathered on Necklace Road on Thursday, on the third day of Chhath Puja, to offer 'Sandhya Arghya' (prayers to the Sun God).

The festival began on November 5. It is held in reverence of Chhathi Maiya (sister of the Sun God). The festival is observed for four days, starting six days after Diwali.

Devotees, who were fasting, offered prayers for the well-being of their families at the waterbanks.

"The puja is a tradition that has been passed down through generations in our family. Sita Devi had prayed to the Sun God that if Lord Ram wins the war against Ravana, she will keep a vrat (fast) for the God," said one of the devotees. She further added that the Sun God would answer any prayers offered on Puja day.

On the day, Union minister G. Kishan Reddy prayed as well as he interacted with other devotees. "Regardless of their geographical location, people from North India continue to celebrate this festival with great devotion. It is time to pray and seek blessings from the Sun God," he stated.

The organisers of the Chhath Puja celebrations praised the government's efforts in making the event a grand success. S.P. Singh, the chief organiser of the Jan Seva Sangh, mentioned that the number of devotees had increased significantly over the years, from a few thousand in 2007 to over 35 lakh now, across the city. He said 60,000 devotees had prayed at the public facilities on Thursday.

"The government has provided us with sufficient HMDA, GHMC, police personnel, and all the necessary facilities, including waiting rooms, changing rooms, and toilets. I would like to thank the Telangana government for their support," said Singh.