Kathmandu, November 12: This year’s Tihar festival ended on Wednesday after the Bhai Tika. Now, preparations for the Chhath festival have intensified along various riverbanks, ponds and water bodies across the Kathmandu Valley. With the number of people celebrating Chhath in Kathmandu increasing in recent years, work is underway this year to construct Chhath ghats, clean the surroundings and make necessary arrangements at 17 different locations.
Preparations are being made to celebrate the festival at Gaurighat, Guhyeshwari, Kamal Pokhari, along the banks of the Bagmati River, Teku and Banshighat, among other locations.
Chhath is traditionally celebrated by offering arghya (ritual offerings) and prayers to the setting and rising sun. Observed over four days through various religious rituals and with deep devotion, the festival sees devotees gather along riverbanks, ponds and other water bodies to worship the Sun God.
According to Anil Singh, chairman of the Chhath Puja Management Committee at Gaurighat, a ghat is being constructed there to accommodate 557 devotees observing the festival. He said preparations include installing tents, arranging lighting, cleaning the riverbank and developing the necessary infrastructure.
The major Chhath celebration sites in Kathmandu include the Gaurighat and Guhyeshwari areas, Kamal Pokhari, and the Bagmati riverbanks at Thapathali, Teku, Banshighat, Kupondole and Balkhu. Similarly, devotees perform Chhath Puja along the banks of the Bishnumati and Nakkhu rivers, at the Tin Kune confluence, Tankeshwor, Boksidaha, Kuleshwor, Ramghat and Balaju’s Baishdhara.
In previous years, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has been making arrangements at major Chhath Puja sites, including Kamal Pokhari, Gaurighat, Boksidaha, the Bagmati river confluence, Tankeshwor, the Kumari Club area in Balkhu, the Kuleshwor Volleyball Ground and Ramghat.
Ghats are also constructed and managed at other locations, including Balaju Baishdhara and Banshighat, for the celebration.
As part of this year’s Chhath festival, the Kharna ritual will be observed on Saturday, November 14 (Kartik 28). On Sunday evening, November 15 (Kartik 29), devotees will offer arghya to the setting sun and perform prayers. The festival will conclude on Monday morning, November 16 (Kartik 30), with offerings and prayers to the rising sun.
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