Chhath preparation gains momentum across Tarai

BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS

Barahakshetra / Rajbiraj / Saptari, Oct. 20: As the Chhath festival draws near, communities across Nepal’s eastern Tarai, including Saptari district, have immersed themselves in preparations marked by vibrant decorations, ritual observances, and large-scale pond clean-ups. The atmosphere has become increasingly festive, with devotional Chhath songs resonating in neighbourhoods, and markets bustling with activity.

Chhath, one of the most important festivals in the Tarai region, is celebrated by offering prayers to the setting and rising sun on the sixth day of the waning moon in the month of Kartik. Traditionally celebrated by the Maithili community, the festival has now expanded beyond caste and community boundaries, becoming a unifying cultural event in Nepal’s southern plains.

In the run-up to the festival, locals have started constructing Chhath ghats and preparing ritual sites along riverbanks, ponds, and lakes. People have begun purchasing traditional offerings such as bamboo baskets, clay pots, sugarcane, coconuts, bananas, pomelos, and homemade sweets, including thekuwa and laddu. The festival begins with the ritual of Kharna, where devotees fast the entire day, breaking it only after offering specially prepared food to the goddess. On the main day, devotees gather at sacred water bodies to offer argha to the setting sun, followed by a final offering to the rising sun the next morning, which marks the end of the Chhath fast.

Sunil Chaudhary of Ramdhuni shared that, as in past years, water bodies are being cleaned and decorated to accommodate the large number of worshippers. Ram Babu Rauniyar from Prakashpur in Sunsari said he had been abstaining from meat and fish for 15 days in preparation for the festival. "We observe this fast with faith and devotion," he said.

In line with this spirit, several local organisations in Rajbiraj have taken the initiative to clean religious and public ponds in advance of the Chhath and Tihar festivals. On Saturday, a major sanitation campaign was carried out at Kaltudas Pond, a site of historical and religious significance located in Ward No. 3 of Rajbiraj Municipality. 

Participants in the campaign included locals, students, youth groups, security personnel, and social workers. Volunteers removed plastic waste, overgrown vegetation, and general debris from around the pond, while also improving access paths and the ghat area to ensure safety and sanctity for worshippers.

Youth leader Amar Yadav said such initiatives go beyond environmental cleanup. “This campaign reflects unity in our community, a shared sense of responsibility, and our deep respect for religious traditions,” he said. Bishnu Yadav from the youth committee added that the area now feels much more serene and spiritually welcoming.

Similar clean-up activities were also conducted at the pond near Bhagwati Temple in Ward No. 7 and another pond in Ward No. 2, led by Ward Chairman Arun Kumar Yadav with active local participation. Chairman Yadav emphasised the message of the campaign, “Let’s not litter, let’s preserve the sanctity of our ponds, and raise the pride of our city and our culture."

Local Nirmala Devi Sah praised the effort and said, “The area was very dirty before, but now it looks clean and beautiful. Such initiatives should continue regularly.”

Organisers expect thousands of devotees to visit ponds like Kaltudas during Chhath and Tihar for ritual bathing and worship. As such, they have called on the public to maintain cleanliness and show respect for these shared spaces. 

These initiatives have not only enhanced the aesthetic and spiritual ambiance of Rajbiraj’s sacred sites but have also set an inspiring example of civic engagement, environmental responsibility, and cultural pride in action.