By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Preparations for the Chhath festival are underway in Patna, the capital of Bihar, with the celebrations set to begin on 5 November with the traditional Nahai-Khai ritual. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar conducted an inspection of Patna’s Ganga Ghats on Saturday, instructing officials to expedite all necessary preparations for Chhath Puja.
The Chief Minister, along with a team of officials, toured the ghats from a steamer early in the morning, issuing instructions on the swift completion of ghat construction, cleaning, sanitation, and security arrangements. He expressed satisfaction with the progress, remarking, “Everything is very good. People will be able to worship comfortably. We have reviewed everything, and there is nothing to worry about. Everything will be well-prepared.”
Kumar emphasised the need for ensuring a smooth and safe experience for Chhath devotees during the Arghya ritual, advising officials to clean the access roads to the ghats and organise police deployment on the routes, as well as to install barricades at the ghats for crowd control. According to officials, approximately ₹13.4 lakh will be allocated for the cleaning, repair, and construction of ghats and connecting roads.
The Chief Minister commenced his inspection from Nasriganj Ghat, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav, and Power Minister Bijendra Yadav. Other notable attendees included Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh and SSP Rajiv Mishra. The Chhath festival, a significant celebration in Bihar, begins six days after Diwali, drawing large crowds for worship along the Ganga Ghats.
