Across around 60 ghatsin the city, thousands of women gathered on Monday evening to offer prayers to the setting sun, known as Sandhya Arghya, marking the penultimate day of Chhath Puja celebrations. Devotees will break their fast on Tuesday morning by offering Usha Arghya to the rising sun. The festival, dedicated to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, is being observed with an emphasis on eco-friendly and sustainable practices this year, according to organisers.
Organising committees at major ghats, including Rajendra Park, Sheetla Mata Mandir, Shakti Park, and Devi Lal Colony, said the focus this time is on avoiding plastic and promoting the use of natural materials for decorations. “The focus is not just devotion, but also on promoting awareness about cleanliness and protecting the environment,” said Rajesh Patel, one of the organisers at Rajendra Park.
Sarita Devi, a resident of Sector 46, said devotees take responsibility for keeping ghats clean during the celebrations. “We thoroughly clean our ghats, removing heaps of garbage and debris each year. We don’t use any kind of chemical to clean the ghats,” she said.
At several ghats, organisers said natural materials such as banana leaves and flowers are being used in decorations. “Most of the decorations at the ghats are made using banana leaves and flowers. We are not only carrying our traditions, but also thinking of the environment. Most of the communities avoid using plastic, and the festival strongly promotes eco-friendly practices,” said Ajay Kumar Singh, a resident of Vatika Society, Sector 82.
Singh added that organisers are also encouraging the use of biodegradable serving ware. “We are using clay kulhads and paper plates to serve food to devotees. Some of the kulhads are being reused from last year,” he said.
At Kadirpur Community Centre, Randhir Ray, part of the organising committee, said that plastic has been completely banned during festivities. “We make baskets from bamboo and the message of Chhath Puja is about cleanliness, water conservation and caring for the environment,” he said.
Reinforcing the festival’s environmental ethos, Sarita Devi added, “Before festivities, devotees voluntarily clean ponds, rivers and neighbourhoods which transform public spaces into models of community hygiene. Just like Prime Minister Modi said, Chhath Puja is a grassroots environmental campaign wrapped in faith.”
Ravinder Malik, joint commissioner at MCG, said, “If the organisers have any specific requirements, they can reach out to us, and we will ensure that their needs are taken care of.”