Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Offers Usha Arghya, Marking the Conclusion of Chhath Puja Celebrations

Patna | October 28, 2025 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar performed the final rituals of Chhath Puja on Tuesday morning, offering the traditional Usha Arghya — prayers to the rising Sun — at his official residence in Patna. Joined by family members, Kumar paid homage to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, marking the ceremonial end of the four-day festival that holds deep spiritual and cultural significance across Bihar and several other Indian states. The annual Chhath Puja, observed six days after Diwali, concluded with thousands of devotees across the country gathering at riverbanks, ponds, and ghats to perform morning prayers. The ritual of Usha Arghya symbolizes gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life and bestowing health, prosperity, and happiness. Visuals from across Bihar showed devotees — mostly women — standing knee-deep in water, holding bamboo baskets laden with fruits, sugarcane, and thekua (a traditional sweet), as they offered their prayers while the first rays of the sun appeared on the horizon. In Patna, devotees assembled in large numbers at popular ghats along the Ganga, including the Collectorate Ghat, Digha Ghat, and Patna City Ghat. Similar scenes unfolded across other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Maharashtra, where migrant communities from Bihar and eastern India observed the rituals with equal devotion. According to the Hindu calendar, Chhath Puja is celebrated on the sixth day (Shashthi Tithi) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) in the month of Kartik. This year, the four-day festival began on October 25 with Nahay-Khay, when devotees take a holy dip and prepare a sanctified meal, marking the start of the ritual fasting. On October 26, Kharna was observed — a day of complete fasting followed by a modest offering of sweet porridge (rasiya kheer) and roti after sunset. The third day, October 27, known as Sandhya Arghya, involved evening prayers to the setting Sun, followed by the rigorous nirjala vrat — a fast observed without water — which continued until the next morning’s Usha Arghya on October 28. Chhath Puja’s roots trace back to ancient times, with references found in Vedic traditions. According to legend, Lord Rama and Goddess Sita performed Chhath rituals after returning to Ayodhya from exile, offering prayers to the Sun God for prosperity and harmony. Over centuries, the festival has come to represent purity, discipline, and devotion, transcending regional boundaries while maintaining its cultural core. The Chief Minister’s participation in the rituals reflected the enduring social and religious importance of Chhath in Bihar. Government authorities had made extensive arrangements at ghats across the state, ensuring safety, sanitation, and adequate lighting for devotees during both the evening and morning offerings. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to the nation, calling Chhath Puja a divine celebration of India’s timeless traditions. In his message on X, he expressed wishes for happiness and prosperity, saying, “May the infinite grace of Chhathi Maiya forever illuminate your lives.” With the offering of Usha Arghya, devotees across India concluded Chhath Puja 2025, carrying forward the spirit of faith, gratitude, and reverence that continues to bind generations through this age-old tradition. Nitish Kumar Performs Usha Arghya, Concludes Chhath Puja in Patna Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar offered Usha Arghya, the morning prayer to the rising Sun, marking the conclusion of the four-day Chhath Puja at his residence in Patna. Devotees across Bihar and other states gathered at rivers and ponds to perform the final rituals, expressing gratitude to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya. The festival, celebrated after Diwali, is known for its strict fasting and devotion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings, calling Chhath a divine expression of Indian tradition and wishing health, prosperity, and happiness to all devotees observing the sacred festival.