Ranchi: The four-day Chhath celebrations began on Friday with devotees observing Nahay Khay, the festival’s opening ritual dedicated to the Sun god and Chhathi Maiya.Devotees took ritual baths, cleaned their homes and prepared a sattvik meal of bottle gourd, chana dal and rice. The food, prepared without onion and garlic, is first consumed by those observing a fast and then shared with family members.“Nahay Khay is about purifying oneself before undertaking the difficult fast. The food is kept simple and sattvik because we begin our observance by cleansing both our surroundings and our bodies. Lauki is traditionally prepared as part of this first meal,” said Anjana Radhika, a devotee from Booty More.In homes observing Chhath, kitchens and utensils are kept separate during the festival. Families have also begun preparations for thekua by washing and sun-drying wheat before sending it for grinding. Bamboo soops, dauras and other puja items are being arranged ahead of the main offerings.“We make sure the wheat is properly dried in the sun and kept covered so that no dust or impurities get into it. Every member of the family has a responsibility during Chhath, whether it is preparing prasad or arranging puja items,” said Anamika, a devotee from Bardhaman Compound.The festival will continue with Kharna on Saturday. Devotees observe a day-long fast and break it after sunset with prasad, traditionally including jaggery-based kheer and rotis. The 36-hour fast begins after the Kharna ritual and continues until the morning offering to the rising sun on Monday.“Fasting without water begins after Kharna. Devotees do not consume food or water during this period,” said Sakshi Kumari, a devotee from Ashok Nagar.Chief minister Hemant Soren extended greetings to devotees. “Heartfelt greetings, best wishes and Johar to all Chhath vratis and devotees on the first ritual of Nahay Khay, the festival of faith and Sun worship. May the blessings of Lord Bhaskar and Chhathi Maiya remain with everyone and bring happiness, peace, prosperity and well-being into their lives,” he wrote in a social media post.Ranchi Municipal Corporation has deployed more than 1,200 sanitation workers and 200 additional labourers across 72 ghats and their approach roads. It has also prepared 63 artificial ponds, installed barricades and arranged 501 temporary changing rooms. The civic body is installing 1,508 additional lights at 83 locations and has arranged 88 generators as backup during power cuts.
