Indian-Irish devotees celebrate Chhath Puja, offer 'arghya' to rising Sun
Nov 08, 2024
County Kildar [Ireland], November 9 : The Bihar Jharkhand Association of Ireland (BJAI) celebrated Chhath Puja festival with devotees coming together to offer 'arghya' to rising Sun at Naas, County Kildare in Ireland.
The devotees were seen carrying fruits and making sacred offerings to the Sun God, with vermillion adorning the devotees' foreheads.
The Al Mamzar Beach in Dubai also echoed with devotional Chhath songs with a huge turnout of devotees.
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As part of Chhath festival rituals, Indian devotees across the world offered 'Arghya' to the rising Sun on Friday morning.
Devotees at various places in the country gathered at riverbanks and offered Argya on the last day of the four-day festival.
After the holy offering, parents pray to 'Chhatti Maiya' for the protection of their children as well as the happiness and peace of their whole family.
Earlier, over a thousand devotees came together to celebrate the Chhath Puja for the evening Arghya (offering) in New Jersey, United States as Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America (BJANA) organised a recreation of puja for devotees overseas.
This year's celebration was particularly special, as the ghat (riverbank) was beautifully adorned with banana stems and vibrant lighting, creating a unique and authentic atmosphere reminiscent of traditional ghats in Bihar.
BJANA President, Sanjeev Singh, shared his joy, expressing that it was his dream to recreate the authentic feeling of the ghats he experienced in Patna, Vaishali, and Bokaro.
"The sight of the decorated ghat, combined with the devotion of the participants, brought that vision to life. The entire community embraced the celebration with great enthusiasm, eagerly looking forward to the Morning Arghya the next day," Singh said.
Nepal on Thursday observed the third day of Chhath, the festival of benediction to lord "Surya" making offerings to the setting sun on the embankments of Narayani River.
Devotees undergoing arduous fasting stood on the edge of the river braving the current making offering of delicacies to Lord Sun. The festival dedicated to the Sun sees devotees worshipping and making offerings to the setting and rising sun.
"The fasting of Chhath is arduous and one needs to be bound by the rules. Undergoing this fasting will fulfill the wishes; if a couple wants to have a child then they will be blessed with it, and all the wishes made also will be fulfilled. The "Chhathi Maiya" (goddess) bless everyone who undergoes the fasting," Meena Devi Sah, a devotee told ANI.