Today is Nahay Khay, the first day of the four-day Chhath.

Patna: With the Nahay-Khay ceremony marking the start of the four-day Chhath celebration on Saturday, Patna has been converted into a breathtaking display of religion, light, and traditional fervor.

The whole city is immersed in the preparations for worshiping the Sun deity, from its shops to the ancient Ganga ghats. Every street corner has loudspeakers, and residences have music systems playing catchy traditional Chhath folk tunes that establish the spiritual tone for Bihar’s “Mahaparv” (giant celebration).

91 important ghats and 62 ponds have been cleaned and decorated with elaborate decorations and sparkling lights for devotees by the Patna district government and municipal corporation.

Anup Kumar, a local who was seen purchasing goods for Chhat, said, “This festival is about purity and expressing gratitude, and the decorated ghats perfectly capture that divine feeling.”

Along with making sure that safety precautions like barricading and watchtowers are in place, national and state disaster response teams have also been sent to make provisions for drinking water and temporary restrooms at ghats.

Devotees are not allowed to visit Pahalwan, Bans, Rajapur Pul, Kantahi, Buddha, and New Panchmukhi Chauraha ghats since the district government has designated them as unsafe. In addition, Judges, Adalat, Gulbi Ghat, Mishri, and TN Banerjee have all been deemed inappropriate.

Austerity, which entails not eating until after the holy bath, is formally ushered in by the Nahay Khay ceremony. Day Two’s “Kharna,” “Sandhya arghya” (oblation to the setting Sun), and “Usha arghya” (oblation to the rising Sun) come next. Shoppers are swarming the city’s markets to purchase the customary items.

The precise goods required for the offerings (arghya) are the main focus of the frantic shopping. Crowds are seen buying things such bottle gourds, sugarcane, bananas, oranges, and apples, as well as bamboo “soop” (winnowing basket) and “daura” (big basket).