(MENAFN- Live Mint) New Delhi: The four-day-long Chhath Puja celebrations draw to a close today, October 28, with devotees across Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh gathering along riverbanks and ponds to offer Arghya- prayers to the setting sun.

Also known as Dala Chhath, Chhathi, or Surya Shashthi, the festival is dedicated to Lord Surya (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya, symbolising gratitude, purity, and faith. After observing a 36-hour-long nirjala vrat (fast without water), devotees prepare offerings of Thekua, fruits, and sugarcane, which are placed in bamboo baskets and offered during the evening rituals.

According to the Hindu calendar, the sunset today is at 5:39 PM, marking the auspicious time for Sandhya Arghya. Devotees will stand waist-deep in water, facing the sun, as they chant hymns and express gratitude for health, prosperity and family well-being.

Earlier this morning, the Usha Arghya ritual - offering prayers to the rising sun - marked the culmination of the festival, after which devotees broke their fast.

City-wise sunset timings:

• Delhi: 5:39 pm
• Mumbai: 6:07pm
• Patna: 5:11pm
• Noida: 5:39 pm
• Pune: 6:03 pm

Chhath Puja is celebrated with deep devotion across several Indian states and among diaspora communities worldwide. The festival not only honours the Sun God's life-sustaining energy but also reflects the deep cultural and spiritual roots of India's traditional calendar.

Chhath, the festival of benediction to Lord Surya - the Sun, starts from the day of Karthik Shukla Chaturthi and ends on Shukla Saptami according to the lunar calendar. Thekuwa, Khajuri, and Kasar, along with varieties of dry fruits, fruits, and flowers, constitute the basket popularly known as Dhakri.

Devotees especially fast and worship the sun for the long lives and well-being of their family members, also praying for their expectations and efforts to come true. Chhath is celebrated for all members of the family. The Hindu religion adores and respects Lord Sun, who at the time of Chhath is also called Chhatti Mata or the Goddess of Chhath.

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