Chhath puja celebrations in Sambalpur: 10,000 devotees gather for sandhya arghya rituals

Sambalpur: The banks of the Mahanadi and other areas in Sambalpur witnessed a vibrant and devotional atmosphere on Monday evening as around 10,000 devotees gathered to offer ‘sandhya arghya’ to the setting sun during Chhath celebrations.

Chhath, one of the most important festivals for people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, is celebrated with faith and tradition. Every year, thousands of devotees residing in Sambalpur, who are unable to visit their native places, come together to observe the rituals locally. The festival, which started on Saturday with ‘nahay khay’, will conclude on Tuesday morning with prayers to the rising sun.


Devotees from areas such as Mandliya, Khetrajpur, Chandan Nagar, Bareipali, and other parts of the city gathered at different ghats along the river and pond to perform rituals and offer prayers to the Sun God. The puja started around 4:30 pm and continued till sunset, with families singing devotional songs and lighting earthen lamps along the ghats. In anticipation of the massive turnout, the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation had undertaken extensive preparations. Several ghats, including Bishnupada Ghat in Burla, Marwadi Pada ghat, Katar Dhuha Bandh, Kadam Mal Chhath Ghat, Hirakud Chhath Puja Ghat, Bhanga Munda Bihari Pada Ghat, Jhankar Pada, and Ekodo Pada, were cleaned, repaired, and readied for the devotees.

Markets in areas like Khetrajpur also buzzed with activity as special Chhath Puja stalls sold fruits, sugarcane, bamboo baskets, and other ritual items essential for the festival. Mukesh Yadav, a resident of Khetrajpur, said, “This is a festival which brings all of us together. We are trying our best to keep the culture alive and make the younger generation aware of the importance of Chhath Puja.”

Prakash Tiwari from Bareipali said, “We are thankful to the district administration and the municipal corporation for repairing and cleaning the ghats and building new ones for us to perform the rituals smoothly.” The festival has also started attracting participation from local Sambalpur residents, reflecting the growing cultural harmony in the city.