BIRGUNJ: Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), Dol Prasad (DP) Aryal, on Sunday joined Chhath celebrations at the historic Ghadiarwa Pond in Birgunj, Parsa, as devotees gathered at various water bodies across the city to observe the festival.
On the occasion, Speaker Aryal toured the Ghadiarwa Pond premises and interacted with devotees participating in the celebrations.
Aryal also visited Nagwa Pond in Birgunj Metropolitan City-16, where he joined devotees in observing the festival, which holds deep religious and cultural significance across the Mithila region, particularly among Maithili- and Bhojpuri-speaking communities.
Meanwhile, ponds, rivers, lakes and other water bodies across Birgunj have been beautifully decorated to mark the four-day festival.
Following the observance of the ‘Kharna’ ritual, devotees are set to offer prayers and offerings to the setting sun this evening and the rising sun tomorrow morning, the two main rituals of Chhath.
Rakesh Sah Kanu, Chairperson of the Ghadiarwa Chhath Puja Management Committee, shared that artisans from Kolkata, India, have decorated the Ghadiarwa Chhath Ghat with flowers, lights and colourful arrangements.
He said more than 5,500 devotees observing the Chhath fast, along with thousands of visitors, are expected to gather at the ghats to celebrate the festival dedicated to the Sun God.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Chakra Bahadur Malla, security personnel have been deployed round the clock at Ghadiarwa and other celebration venues to ensure the safety of devotees and visitors.
Meanwhile, in Janakpurdham, Chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Rabi Lamichhane, and his wife, Nikita Paudel Lamichhane, took part in the Chhat celebration by offering the evening Arghya at the Chhath Ghat at Ganga Sagar Pond.
Chairman Lamichhane and his wife traveled to Janakpurdham to observe the Chhath festival in fulfillment of a vow and reached the Chhath Ghat at Ganga Sagar today to perform the evening offering.
The couple arrived at the Chhath Ghat carrying a dhaki containing prasad, having set out from the residence of Naresh Sah, located at Shiva Chowk in Janakpurdham Sub-metropolitan City-2.
Meanwhile, in celebration of the Chhath festival, flowers were showered from a helicopter over various Chhath Ghats, including the one at Ganga Sagar Pond.
Chief District Officer Prem Prasad Luitel stated that security arrangements have been tightened throughout Dhanusha district in view of the Chhath festival.
