Chhath Puja 2020: Nitish Kumar participates in rituals during Chhath Puja
New Delhi:
Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar participated in the Chhath Puja rituals today on the last day of the festival offering prayers to the Sun God at his official residence.
Kumar, in photos shared on Twitter, is seen in a knee-deep pool offering milk to the Sun God.
Bihar’s four-time chief minister has followed the tradition of offering prayers at Chhath Puja since he assumed the highest office some 15 years ago.
Other photos also show him participating in more rituals together with other people, probably members of his family.
Patna: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar offered prayers on the last day of #ChhathPuja today pic.twitter.com/AS4yOrSBX7
– ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2020
Kumar also tweeted a photo of him and said in Hindi: “On the occasion of Mahaparva Chhath, I offered Arghya (offerings) to the Sun god at 1, Anne Marg (his official residence).”
This year, Chhath Puja celebrations have been restricted due to the raging coronavirus pandemic. Before the festival, Kumar had urged people celebrating Chhath Puja to remain vigilant against the coronavirus.
“Greetings everyone on the auspicious occasion of Mahaparv Chhath. Considering the threat of coronavirus infection, it is essential that everyone be vigilant and vigilant,” said Kumar.
A key Chhath ritual involves devotees standing in the water of ponds or lakes and making offerings to the deity at sunset and sunrise.
This can be a cause for concern as it can spread the infection, causing various states to restrict activities. As many as 495 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Bihar on Friday, bringing the total number of infections to 2,29,969, the state Department of Health said.
Chhath, which is celebrated six days after Diwali, is an important festival for the people of Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. The annual festival is dedicated to the Sun god and is celebrated for four days.
Chhath Puja concludes today with prayers to the rising sun.
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