Chhath festival ends amid fanfare

The Chhath festival in Bihar came to an end amid fanfare with the devotees offering Morning Arghya or oblations to the Sun God in rivers, ponds and tanks across the state today.

A Hindu devotee applies vermillion powder on the forehead of another during Chhath Puja festival on the banks of the River Tawi in Jammu. (Source: AP)

Lakhs of devotees assembled at the river banks and near other water bodies since the wee hours and waited for the Sun to appear at dawn. Fireworks lit the sky as family members of devotees indulged in festivities.

A Hindu woman takes ritualistic dips in the River Yamuna at sunrise to mark Chhath Puja festival in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014. (Source: AP)

Many devotees had spent the night at the river banks itself to avoid returning home and then coming back to the same spot where they had offered the evening 'arghya'.

Devotees gather on the bank of Ganges River to perform rituals during Chhat festival in Kolkata, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014. (Source: AP)

JD(U) senior leader Nitish Kumar offers prayers during Chhath festival in Patna on Thursday. (Source: PTI)

As the Sun appeared on the horizon, people offered fruits, 'thekua' (homemade flour cookies), water, milk and other preparations to the deity and completed the rituals while standing in knee deep water.

On the second day of the annual Chaat Puja, women offer Argha (offering) to the Sun God on the banks of Pavana in Pimpri. (Source: Express Photo by Rajesh Stephan)

Over 12 lakh people participated in Chhath rituals along the Ganga in the Patna district. Youth associations and civil society organisations worked continuously since yesterday to keep the roads, streets and lanes clean and keep them lighted. (Source: Express Photo by Rajesh Stephan)

The devotees will now spend the day sending 'prasad' to neighbours and relatives and catching up with some rest. (Source: Express Photo by Rajesh Stephan)

Women offering prayers. (Source: Express Photo by Rajesh Stephan)