HYDERABAD: Not many are aware that Chhath puja, worship of the Sun God, is observed by men. People from any age group can take part in the festival which is meant for the well-being of one’s loved ones.
The festival, which is celebrated predominantly by people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, started on Friday and will end on Monday morning. The four-day festival has been celebrated enthusiastically for the last four years in the city.
The main pujas are on Sunday evening, during sunset, and Monday during sunrise. The fast ends on Monday after the sunrise puja.
This year on Sunday evening up to 40,000 people are expected at Tank Bund and P.V. Narasimha Rao Marg where the GHMC has set up several sanitation teams, stages, lighting, and drinking water facilities near baby ponds and lakes.
Around 50 baby ponds and lakes have been duly decked up with each having four teams to look after the facilities, especially sanitation, said Dr K. Padmaja, chief medical officer, GHMC.
A feature of Friday was ‘Nahai khay’ during which meals specially consist of pumpkin, moong-chana dal and rice. On Kharna day, which was on Saturday, special prasad is made of jiggery and rice and offered to Sun god. From Saturday’s sunset to Monday’s sunrise, no food and water is consumed by the devotees,” said Kalpana Kumari, a homemaker who has been celebrating this festival for 30 years.
Amitabh Kumar, who works for an MNC, said that he celebrates the festival by going to ponds near his house and enjoys the celebrations.
“It is a myth that only women take part in the festival, Men are integral to the festivities and follow all the rituals,” he said.
Srinivas Reddy, zonal commissioner Secunderabad, said that around `15 to 20 lakh is spent on these arrangements in their jurisdiction.
“We have not only taken care of the sanitation part but also have set up special changing tents for women and toilets among other basic facilities,” he said.
Ghats and ponds set up at Tank Bund and PV Narasimha Rao Marg are a joint effort by GHMC, HMDA and the urban forest department. “Large crowds turned up on Friday and Saturday and we are expecting at least 40,000 people, especially on the weekends,” said the site in-charge of HMDA.
