Chhath, which used to be celebrated mostly in the Tarai and Mithila region of Nepal, is becoming popular in Kathmandu Valley, with many people from the Hill community also celebrating the festival of late.

The festival was observed in different parts of Kathmandu on Thursday by worshipping and making offerings to the setting sun. Hundreds of people gathered on the banks of rivers, including Bagmati and Bishnumati, and ponds like Kamal Pokhari that were decorated with colourful lights for the occasion.

Bikash Rauniyar, a senior photographer, who celebrated the festival with his family members on the Bishnumati river bank at Tankeshwor, said the number and diversity of people celebrating Chhath is increasing in Kathmandu. 

Rauniyar’s ancestors migrated to Kathmandu from Uttar Pradesh of India a century ago. After moving here, they started celebrating Chhath at Bishnumati River.  

“When I was a kid, I used to follow my grandmother to the Bishnumati river in Tankeshwor. It was the only place to celebrate and only few people used to come. Now, the rivers and ponds in Kathmandu are filled with people,” said Rauniyar. 

Rubina KC, an 18-year-old college student, said the idea of worshipping sun was what fascinated her about Chhath. She had come to the Bagmati river bank at Thapathali to observe the festival. 

“It is my first time. I really liked the concept of worshipping the sun, because it is where we get energy from,” she said.

Sunidhi Mishra, 16, had come to Thapathali with her friend’s family to observe the festival.  

“Celebrating such festival together will help us connect emotionally regardless of our cultural and geographical differences,”she said.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba also visited various Chhath prayer sites in the Valley to offer their prayers.

Chhath holiday extended

The government has extended the Chhath holiday by one more day this time.

Issuing a statement on Thursday, the main day of Chhath, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced the holiday on Friday as well.

Chhath is a festival mainly associated with the Tarai community, where they offer prayers to the sun. (PR)

Devotees pray to the setting sun at the Ganga Sagar Pond in Janakpur. POST PHOTOs: SANTOSH SINGH 

Devotees pray to the setting sun at the Ganga Sagar Pond in Janakpur. POST PHOTOs: SANTOSH SINGH 

A woman holds offerings in a bamboo basket at the Bagmati River in Gaurighat, Kathmandu. Post Photo: Anish Regmi

President Bidya Devi Bhandari offers water to the setting sun at Kamal Pokhari in Kathmandu. POST PHOTO: PRAKASH CHANDRA TIMILSENA

Devotees offer prayers to the setting sun in the Capital.  

POST PHOTO: PRAKASH CHANDRA TIMILSENA