Chhath Puja

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chhath

http://www.bihar.ws/info/Religion-in-Bihar/Chhat-Puja.html
http://bhojpuria.com/goto.php?page=chhath/puja.htm


We received a notice last week from the office administration unit warning us that hired cars would be scarce this week since the car hire agency was running short of drivers. In Kolkata a large number of drivers come from Jharkhand and Bihar where Chhath Puja is celebrated in a big way. These men either return home to their native places or take the week off to celebrate the occasion with family and friends. Every year this time of the year finding a cab on my way back from work poses a huge challenge. Streets are relatively empty since many yellow cabs go off the roads.

On the day of the festival men, women and children assemble in front of rivers; lakes and other water bodies .Women are decked in new clothes and wear the traditional orange coloured vermilion on their forehead and in between the partings of their long hair. Crackers are burst and bands are played while the ceremony is performed .Bananas are a must for the offerings made to the sun-god. The city is flooded with bananas and at every street corner loads of bananas are stacked for people to buy. In Jharkhand where I spent my childhood we used to look forward to the arrival of mouth watering ‘thekuas’ from the homes of our many generous neighbours. I miss the delicacy in Kolkata.
Scenes near my apartment where there are several large water bodies