Patna: Second day of Chhath festival, Kharna observed with fervour

The second day of the four-day-long Chhath festival, which is known as 'Kharna', was celebrated with fervour here on Friday.

The devotees offered sweetened rice pudding (kheer), bananas and flat round bread (roti) to the Sun god on the occasion.

"Chhath is the biggest festival in India according to us. Today is Kharna. We dry the wheat on the first day of the festival with which we prepare the offerings to God," Ragini Ranjan, a devotee said.

"This fast is very important. Chhath is an ode to nature. According to mythological texts, conducting Chhath Puja would enable the devotees to ask for a boon of children. This is the only festival in which obeisance is offered to the setting sun," she added.

"Our family is happy doing Chhath Puja because of the boons granted to us by the Sun god. We pray that all the people of our state and country remain happy with the blessings of the Sun god," Rajesh Kumar Dabloo, a city-resident said.

Chhath Puja, the festival dedicated to the Sun god, is celebrated on the sixth day Kartik month of Hindu calendar. Every year, the festival commences with paying obeisance to the setting sun and concludes with the rising sun.

The four-day-long festival is set to conclude on Sunday.

Chhath is celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm primarily in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.