The third day of Chhath Puja is being celebrated across Nepal with religious fervour and devotion, particularly in the Tarai-Madhes region and the Kathmandu Valley. The ritual of Sandhya Arghya was performed this evening with devotees gathered at riverbanks, ponds and other water bodies to offer prayers to the setting Sun. In the Kathmandu Valley, special arrangements were made at several locations, including Gaurighat, Guhyeshwori and Kamal Pokhari, where large numbers of devotees gathered to perform traditional rituals. Carrying bamboo baskets filled with fruits, sugarcane, thekua and other traditional offerings, devotees stood in water and offered Arghya to the setting Sun. Women observing the fast prayed for the health, prosperity and well-being of their families.
The four-day Chhath Puja is one of the most important festivals in Nepal’s Tarai-Madhes region and has also gained popularity in the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the country. The festival will conclude tomorrow morning with Usha Arghya, when devotees will offer prayers to the rising Sun. They will break their 36-hour long fast following the ritual.
