A large number of devotees from the Bihari community gathered at Hussain Sagar and other water bodies in Hyderabad to celebrate Pehla Arghya, the third and most important day of Chhath Puja, on Thursday. Telangana BJP president and Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy, attended the event as the chief guest.
Women were seen taking part in the rituals at Hussain Sagar with their puja samagri (prayer items), which included large stalks of sugarcane and fruits arranged on specially set tables. As the sun began to set, many women stepped into the lake to offer prayers to the Sun God. On this day, women fast and perform rituals by standing in water, offering water to the setting sun in the evening and again to the rising sun the next morning. The morning ritual will take place on Friday.
Manvendra Mishra, ex-president of the Bihar Association in Hyderabad, explained the significance of the festival. He said, “This year, as in previous years, a large number of devotees gathered at Hussain Sagar on the third day of the festival, celebrating with great excitement. The celebrations have been a tradition in Hyderabad for many years. This year, the festivities are being observed at 22 ghats across Hyderabad. Today will mark the conclusion of the celebrations, with prayers offered to the rising sun.”
Shruti Mishra, one of the devotees, shared her joy about the festival. She said, “I had been eagerly waiting for this festival, as it is one of the most important celebrations for the Bihari community. Even though we live far from Bihar, we try to celebrate it here in the same way it is observed back home.”
She further explained the rituals of the festival, saying, “The first day, known as Nahay Khay, involves preparing meals, especially dishes like pumpkin, moong-chana dal, and rice. On the second day, called Kharna, a special prasad made of jaggery and rice is offered to the Sun God. From sunset on the second day until sunrise on the fourth day, devotees, especially women, fast without food or water.”
