Bhubaneswar: The Capital city glowed with devotion and colour as thousands of devotees observed Chhath puja Sunday evening, offering prayers to the setting sun at riverbanks and ponds.
The four-day festival dedicated to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya was celebrated at Kuakhai, Daya, and Bhargavi rivers, and major city water bodies like Bindusagar Tank, Dumduma Pond, VSS Nagar Pond, and Pokhariput Ghat.
Women devotees, known as vratinis, observed a daylong fast and gathered at the ghats with bamboo baskets filled with fruits, sugarcane, and thekua, the festival’s traditional offering.
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As the sun set, the ghats came alive with devotional songs, chants, and the warm glow of hundreds of earthen lamps reflecting on the waters.
Major sites like Kuakhai Ghat near Palasuni, Daya River bank at Lingipur, and Bhargavi River ghat at Balakati witnessed large crowds, while many devotees opted for artificial ponds at Unit-VIII and Saheed Nagar for convenience and safety.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and city police made extensive arrangements to ensure a safe and smooth celebration.
Temporary barricades, lighting, drinking water stalls, and first-aid camps were set up at major ghats, while sanitation workers maintained cleanliness through the night.
Traffic police efficiently managed heavy vehicular flow on routes to Kuakhai and Lingipur, allowing devotees to perform rituals without hindrance.
As devotees offered arghya to the rising sun Monday morning, chants of “Chhathi Maiya ki Jai” echoed across the City, marking the culmination of a festival symbolising discipline, purity, and gratitude to nature.
Puja celebrated at KIIT Chhath Puja was observed with devotion and traditional fervour on the KIIT-DU campus Monday.
A large number of students, especially from Bihar, participated in the rituals dressed in traditional attire, creating a vibrant spiritual ambience.
KIIT and KISS founder Achyuta Samanta joined the celebration, extending greetings to students and staff.
He highlighted Chhath’s deep cultural and spiritual roots, noting that Mata Sita observed it after returning from exile.
ProVice Chancellor Raju K D, Registrar G R Mohanty, and other officials also attended the event.
