Invoking the Sun God

As the devotees celebrate Chhath Puja at the banks of Mutha river,they say it feels just like home.

A row of diyas decorate the steps leading into the Mutha rivers Ganpati Visarjan Ghat in Karve Nagar. The aroma of incense fills the air as the ring of bhajans invoke a holy ambience. Looking perfect in the setting,women clad in colourful saris solemnly stood in the river facing the setting sun as they balance plates decorated with various fruits and incense sticks,known as Arghya daan,to seek the sun gods blessings. Even though these devotees are far away from their home,Bihar,Uttar Pradesh,West Bengal,Jharkhand and Orissa,Chhath Puja is celebrated with enough grandeur here.

Preeti Goswami,a 22-year-old student of Cummins Women Engineering College,says,I moved to Pune from Bihar four years ago and have been coming here ever since. I miss being home during the Chhath Puja,but this brings back fond memories of celebrations at home.

Another student of the same college,Preeti Bharati,adds,Chhath Puja is an integral part of our

traditions; my mother celebrates this festival at home.

Pandit Bachcha Jha,who has been celebrating this festival in the city since his childhood,explains that families offer baskets of fruit which mostly consists of coconuts,bananas,pineapples,oranges and apples as prasad to the sun. Chhath Puja is a powerful festival and all wishes and prayers,offered with devotion,are definitely answered. Wives and mothers come and take part in the celebrations each year to pray for their children and families, says Jha.

Pramod Rana,a social worker and member of the Rashtravadi Congress Party that helps to organise Chhath Puja,informs,We understand that this is a very big festival,so the preparations are rigorous and start a month in advance. This time about 3,000 devotees came for the puja on Friday.

Meanwhile,at the river bank,devotees chant their last prayers and a celebration ensues on the streets with numerous children and youngsters bursting crackers and screaming in glee.

(Suchi Rupa Adhikari)

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