Devotees throng river banks to worship Sun God on occasion of Chhath

Devotees in Bihar and across North India thronged river banks to worship Sun God by offering prayers, standing waist-deep in water for the longevity and well-being of their family members on Tuesday on the occasion of two-day Chhath festival.

People visit riverbanks during the festival to pay obeisance to the sun god at dawn as well as dusk, preferably just prior to the sunrise and sunset.

Devotees prepared ritual offerings and prayed before the Sun God on the bank of the river Ganges in Patna.

"Chhath puja is a festival of faith. We observe fast for the well-being of our husband, children and the entire world. We hope everyone to be happy by seeking blessings of Sun god. We do it with a lot of happiness and follow all rituals," said a devotee, Usha Srivastava

The festival is celebrated on the sixth and seventh days after Diwali.

However, preparations for this festival start a month ahead.

Devotees believe that their wishes come true after performing rituals.

"We believe in the power of Chhath puja, whatever we wish for comes true. We believe a lot in Chhath puja that is why everyone celebrates it. Today, we will worship the setting sun and tomorrow we will worship the rising sun," said another devotee, Anjali Srivastava.

Thousands of devotees celebrating Chhath Puja also flocked to the ghats in the national capital from early afternoon today to offer prayers to the Sun God.

Crowds of devotees had gathered on the banks of the Yamuna river and at lakes and canals to offer prayers to the setting Sun.

In Mumbai, thousands of devotees, especially those from Bihar, offered puja at Juhu beach.