Chhath Puja 2025: After Years of Restrictions, Yamuna Ghats Decked Up with 1,500 Decorated Sites, Solar Lights and Clean-Up Drives for Delhi’s Grand Eco-Friendly Celebration

As dusk settled over Delhi, the Yamuna ghats turned into rivers of light and colour. Thousands of devotees, dressed in bright traditional attire, offered Sandhya Arghya (evening prayers) to the setting sun, their diyas floating gently on the water’s surface. The air resonated with Bhojpuri hymns, the rhythmic beating of dholak, and the fragrance of incense and marigold garlands. Families gathered on decorated platforms, praying for health, prosperity, and happiness — turning the Yamuna into a living canvas of faith.

Chief minister Rekha Gupta led the city’s grand Chhath festivities, joining devotees at several Yamuna ghats. Beginning her round at Mangolpuri, she offered prayers alongside Purvanchali families before heading to Sonia Vihar Pushta. From there, she took a symbolic boat ride on the Yamuna, stopping at Sports Complex, Ram Ghat, and Shyam Ghat to offer Arghya. Her final stop was Vasudev Ghat near Kashmiri Gate, where Bhojpuri folk songs and traditional dances added cultural warmth to the evening. “This year’s Chhath marks Delhi’s deep unity and devotion,” Gupta said, praising the volunteers and devotees.

For the 2025 edition, the Delhi government developed nearly 1,500 ghats across the capital, including 23 large natural ghats along the Yamuna and 17 model ghats from Palla to Kalindi Kunj. Each ghat was equipped with tents, lighting, drinking water, mobile toilets, medical camps, and sanitation staff, ensuring devotees’ safety and comfort. The government also arranged floral gateways, LED panels, and cultural stages, making this one of the most elaborate Chhath setups in Delhi’s history.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said this year’s Chhath is not just a religious occasion but a “symbol of cleanliness, culture, and good governance.” Over 200 ghats hosted cultural programmes in Bhojpuri and Maithili, celebrating Delhi’s Purvanchali heritage. Massive Swachhta (cleanliness) drives were conducted across the ghats before the festival, with sanitation workers, officials, and volunteers joining hands. “Our goal is to ensure every devotee performs rituals without difficulty,” Gupta said.

For many devotees, this Chhath was deeply emotional. In 2021, celebrations along the Yamuna were banned due to Covid-19 restrictions, and FIRs were filed against worshippers who defied the curbs. This year, the BJP-led Delhi government withdrew all such cases, calling it “a restoration of people’s faith.” The Yamuna, once restricted for rituals due to pollution and safety orders, welcomed devotees again — symbolising a revival of spiritual connection between Delhi’s Purvanchali community and the river. (Image- Jatin Kumar)

The Purvanchali community, a vital part of Delhi’s social fabric, celebrated Chhath with renewed fervour. From Sonia Vihar and Wazirabad in the east to Deoli, Sangam Vihar, and Janakpuri in the south and west, devotees thronged the ghats carrying soops filled with thekua, sugarcane, fruits, and coconut. Folk music echoed through the air, and fasting women stood waist-deep in the Yamuna, praying for family welfare and harmony.

The Yamuna River became the sacred centre of the city’s celebrations. At ITO’s Hathi Ghat, one of the most crowded spots, the ghats glowed with diyas during both Sandhya Arghya and Usha Arghya (morning prayers). As the first rays of sunlight touched the water, women devotees offered prayers with folded hands, chanting “Chhathi Maiya ke jai ho.” The sight of thousands of diyas floating on the Yamuna’s surface created a mesmerising view, capturing the essence of faith and endurance.

The preparations were overseen at the highest level. Chief Minister Gupta held a review meeting with ministers, MPs, MLAs, and officials to finalise arrangements. Following that, she launched a joint sanitation campaign across the ghats. Ministers like Kapil Mishra, Ravinder Indraj, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri personally inspected sites, while LG VK Saxena chaired a separate review to monitor crowd management. At Sur Ghat and Munak Canal, where lakhs gather annually, barricading and lighting arrangements were strengthened for devotees’ safety.

From Janakpuri to ITO, Mangolpuri to Kalindi Kunj, Chhath Puja this year united the capital like never before. In Janakpuri alone, 31 ghats were constructed — the first time in nearly three decades the area saw such scale of celebration. Education Minister Ashish Sood joined devotees and said, “For the first time in 27 years, Chhath is being celebrated this grandly in our locality.” PWD Minister Parvesh Verma hosted a large ghat setup at his residence, calling the festival a “family celebration of togetherness.” (Image- Jatin Kumar)

On the concluding morning, as the golden sun rose over the Yamuna, CM Gupta joined hundreds of devotees in offering Usha Arghya — the final ritual of the Chhath Mahaparv. Standing in waist-deep water, she prayed for a “Viksit Bharat and Viksit Delhi.” The chants, songs, and sunlit ripples of the Yamuna reflected the devotion of lakhs who came together in gratitude. “It’s heartwarming to see how Delhi has embraced Chhath as its own,” Gupta said, calling the celebration a testament to faith, unity, and cultural pride.