Agartala, Nov 15: Chhath Puja, the major festival dedicated to the Sun God, was celebrated with religious fervour and devotion in Tripura’s capital Agartala on Sunday, with hundreds of devotees gathering at the Khejurbagan Ranipukur lake to offer prayers to the setting sun.
Devotees, mainly belonging to the Bihari community, dressed in traditional attire, gathered along the lake with fruits, traditional offerings and other puja materials to perform the evening Sandhya Arghya. The turnout was comparatively high than in previous years, and the celebrations retained their traditional religious significance.
For many people from Bihar living in Tripura, the festival also provided an opportunity to reconnect with their cultural roots and overcome the feeling of being away from home.
“Although we belong to Bihar, we are living away from home because of our jobs. But witnessing Chhath being celebrated with such devotion and grandeur in Tripura makes us feel as if we are in Bihar. We do not feel so far away from home,” said Akansha, a devotee.
Describing Chhath as a festival that brings people together across geographical boundaries, she said its celebration in Tripura reflected how faith and cultural traditions could strengthen the bonds of national unity.
Another devotee Dulali Devi said the festival was dedicated to the Sun God and involved preparing traditional offerings, including Thekua, observing rituals and taking a holy dip before offering prayers to the Sun.
Dolly Tiwari said devotees offer Arghya to the setting sun in the evening and repeat the ritual before the rising sun the following morning, praying for peace, happiness and prosperity in their families.
Rajesh Shaw, another participant, described Chhath as a major festival that originated in Bihar but has spread across India and beyond.
Explaining the rituals, he said the observance begins with Nahay-Khay, followed by the preparation of traditional food offerings, including kheer and roti. Devotees then undertake a rigorous 36-hour fast without food and water.
“Today, devotees offered Arghya to the setting sun. Each offering is associated with a family member or a particular wish, including good health and well-being. The devotees will return on Monday morning to offer Arghya to the rising sun,” he said.
Chhath Puja, observed on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartika, is dedicated to Surya, the Sun God, and Chhathi Maiya. The four-day festival involves ritual bathing, fasting, traditional offerings and prayers to the Sun at sunset and sunrise.
The concluding morning prayers will be performed on Monday, bringing the festival’s principal rituals to an end.
