Varanasi: Lakhs of devotees offered ‘arghya’ to the setting sun at ghats along Ganga and Varuna rivers, Surya Sarovar at Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) and other water bodies on the third day of Chhath Puja on Sunday. Similar scenes were witnessed along rivers in neighbouring Chandauli, Mirzapur, Ghazipur, Ballia, Azamgarh, Mau and other districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.Chhath vratis began arriving at the ghats from early afternoon, with several women performing rituals even before sunset. In the evening, men and women carrying cane baskets and soops filled with seasonal fruits, vegetables and other puja items were seen heading in processions towards ghats and temples.The ghats were illuminated with earthen lamps, some of which floated on the river waters, as devotees offered arghya to the setting sun and prayed to Chhathi Mata for the well-being of their families.The four-day festival began on November 13 with ‘Nahay-Khay’, during which devotees took a ritual bath and prepared traditional food. On Saturday, devotees observed a day-long fast, which ended after sunset with the ‘Kharna’ ritual. They prepared kheer and shared it with family members, friends and relatives. The fasting women will conclude their fast on Monday after offering arghya to the rising sun.The district administration, police and Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) made elaborate arrangements for security, sanitation and additional lighting to ensure devotees did not face any inconvenience. Heavy police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel were deployed for crowd management, while the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) remained on alert. Traffic diversions were also enforced in and around the city.Officials said arrangements for crowd regulation, traffic management and security would remain in place until the festivities conclude.
