Chhath Puja is considered one of the oldest and important festivals in Hindu tradition that is celebrated in honor of the Sun God (Surya Dev) and his wife Usha. However, the festival is celebrated chiefly in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and within parts of Nepal. The festival of Chhath is celebrated with fervent devotion and a sense of purification as devotees express their gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on earth, while also seeking blessings for health and prosperity in their lives.
Chhath Puja generally occurs approximately six days after Diwali, during the month of Kartik (October-November). The festival lasts four days, during which the rituals are performed with strict discipline and cleanliness. The first day, known as Nahay Khay, consists of bathing as well as the preparation of pure vegetarian food. The second day, called Kharna, consists of fast and sweet dishes like kheer, which is presented to the Sun. The third day, devotees also keep a fast without drinking water, and offer (arghya) to the setting sun during Sandhya Arghya, which can be translated to an evening offering. The final day, Usha Arghya, is when devotees complete their fast and offer prayers to the Sun.
The women, or vratis, play a significant role in performing rituals which take place with devotees standing in rivers or ponds. Chhath, through the worship of the sun, is not only about festival time observances but also has deeper significance as a celebration of nature, discipline, and a collective commitment.
Delhi launches the Namo Yamuna River Safari with electric boat rides and recreational attractions to promote riverfront tourism.
The Railway Ministry manages Diwali and Chhath Puja rush with a central war room, holding areas, and special train monitoring.
A political face-off has erupted in Delhi between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party over the Yamuna's water quality ahead of the festive season and Chhath Puja. BJP Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari took a dip in the Yamuna and tasted its water, asserting that over half of the river has been cleaned in two years and daring former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to take a dip. Rejecting the claim, the Aam Aadmi Party accused the BJP of misleading the public, maintaining that the Palla-Wazirabad stretch has always been relatively clean while challenging BJP leaders to drink water from the polluted Kalindi Kunj stretch instead.
India faces mounting environmental concerns as severe air pollution spreads beyond the National Capital Region to cities including Chennai, Bengaluru, Gurugram, and Sonipat.
Delhi and the National Capital Region face severe twin environmental crises with deteriorating air quality and mounting toxic pollution in the Yamuna River ahead of Diwali and Chhath Puja. Air quality in Noida and Greater Noida remains in the poor category due to low wind speed and unfavorable dispersion conditions, while construction and vehicular emissions persist despite preventive guidelines under the Graded Response Action Plan. Simultaneously, at Kalindi Kunj, a thick layer of toxic white foam covered the river surface as approximately 40 percent untreated sewage and industrial effluents flow through 22 drains into the Yamuna. Although multiple cleanup projects and waterway development plans have been announced, non-functional sewage treatment plants continue to hinder progress. With devotees preparing to take ritual dips during the upcoming Chhath celebrations, the hazardous combination of thick haze and toxic river fumes poses serious health risks across the national capital.
Dense white toxic froth has reappeared on the surface of the Yamuna River in Delhi ahead of Chhath Puja. The visuals emerge just a day after the Delhi government carried out the soft launch of a high-profile Yamuna cruise service. Heavy foam was witnessed floating on the river at Kalindi Kunj, raising concerns for devotees scheduled to take ritual dips. Alongside worsening seasonal air pollution, the recurrence of water toxicity has triggered political debate, with the opposition criticising the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party over unfulfilled election promises to clean the river. Although defoamers are used as a cosmetic treatment to suppress surface foam, questions remain regarding the fundamental quality of the water.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the trial run for the Namo Yamuna River Cruise ahead of Chhath Puja, marking a key milestone in developing riverfront tourism. Operating along a five-kilometre stretch from Wazirabad to Jagatpur, the eco-friendly safari accommodates 30 to 40 passengers. Officials noted the section upstream of Wazirabad was selected due to deeper and comparatively cleaner waters. While the initiative aims to offer a scenic recreational retreat, comprehensive cleaning of the broader 15-kilometre stretch towards Kalindi Kunj remains underway through new sewage treatment plants and drain diversion projects under an 8,910-crore rupee central plan.
In this special report, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the National Democratic Alliance's victory in the 2025 Bihar elections. He criticises the opposition, including the RJD and Congress, for the past 'Jungle Raj' and contrasts it with his development-focused agenda, referencing efforts to add Chhath Puja to the UNESCO heritage list. In his speech, Prime Minister Modi stated, 'With the new government, the NDA is now moving forward towards a golden journey of 25 years in Bihar'.
This Special Report decodes a knife-edge Bihar election exit poll with pollster Pradeep Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director of Axis My India. The analysis reveals a split verdict among demographics, with women voters decisively backing the NDA coalition, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, while a surge in youth and migrant turnout after Chhath Puja has bolstered the Mahagathbandhan, led by Tejashwi Yadav. According to Pradeep Gupta, 'I would always say that these political party call it friendly fight. I call it suicidal fight.' The poll suggests these 'suicidal fights,' where allies contest the same seats, could be a game-changer in what is projected to be an extremely close contest.
This special report examines the controversy surrounding a viral video alleging the BJP sponsored special trains for Bihari migrants during the Chhath Puja festival, a claim amplified by opposition figures like Rahul Gandhi and Kapil Sibal. Indian Railways official Naveen Kumar, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Ambala Division, has strongly refuted these allegations. According to Kumar, 'This is the totally false, false propaganda.' He clarifies that running numerous special trains is a standard annual procedure to manage the festive rush, with approximately 12,000 such trains planned across India this year. The railway official asserts that no train was sponsored by any political party, passengers purchased their own tickets, and special bookings by organizations are not permitted during this period to ensure efficient crowd management.
In a fiery speech in Bihar's Seemanchal region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the RJD and Congress of protecting illegal infiltrators for vote bank politics. The Prime Minister stated, 'These RJD and Congress people, they are busy saving infiltrators'. He warned that infiltration is a significant challenge, threatening local jobs and resources, and asserted that his NDA government is committed to identifying and removing every single infiltrator from the country. Contrasting his government's development work, including new rail connectivity and the Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway, with the opposition's alleged appeasement, Modi also claimed that Congress leaders have insulted the sacred festival of Chhath Puja, calling the rituals a 'drama'.
This special report focuses on the escalating political tensions in Bihar, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeting RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress party. The Prime Minister has accused the opposition alliance of disrespecting Hindu traditions after pictures of Lalu Yadav's family celebrating Halloween surfaced. PM Modi stated that the 'Congress-RJD are experts in disrespecting our faith'. During a poll rally, he referenced past controversies, alleging that an RJD leader had called the Maha Kumbh 'faltu' (useless) and a Congress leader termed the revered Chhath Mahaparv a 'drama'. This exchange comes just days before the state elections, with the BJP framing the issue as an insult to cultural and religious sentiments to rally voter support.
In a fiery election speech in Bhojpur, Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the RJD and Congress, invoking the era of 'Jungle Raj' and highlighting the recent military action, 'Operation Sindoor'. Citing the abrogation of Article 370 and One Rank One Pension as fulfilled promises, Modi presented his government as one of decisive action. The Prime Minister stated, 'Modi has also said that India will now enter the homes of terrorists and kill them'. He accused the opposition of insulting Bihar's faith by criticising Chhath Mahaparv and the Prayag Raj Mahakumbh, while reminding voters of the lawlessness and industrial decline, specifically the ruin of Dalmianagar, under previous regimes.
In a spirited election rally in Bhojpur, Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the RJD and Congress, accusing them of disrespecting Hindu faith. He claimed, 'congress ke naamdar ne hamare chath Maha Parv ko nautanki drama' (the 'prince' of Congress called our Chhath Mahaparv a gimmick/drama). The Prime Minister called on the large crowd to avenge this alleged insult at the polls, questioning if they would forgive those who dishonour the sacred festival of Chhath. Urging a strong voter turnout with the slogan 'Pahle matdan fir jalpan' (First vote, then refreshments), he appealed for a decisive victory for all NDA candidates in the region to ensure Bihar's development continues unimpeded.
With just a week to go for the high-stakes Bihar Assembly polls, the ruling NDA and the Mahagathbandhan have been trading barbs with Chhath Puja and power politics dominating the political battle in the state.
This special report focuses on the escalating war of words in the Bihar elections, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on multiple fronts. The discussion covers the political fallout from Gandhi's remarks calling the Prime Minister's Chhath Puja observance 'drama', which drew sharp rebuttals from PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. A key quote from the transcript attributes this challenge to Rahul Gandhi: 'The Prime Minister must speak on Trump and Trump's Operation Sindoor role.' This refers to Gandhi questioning the Prime Minister's silence over claims made by former US President Donald Trump regarding an Indian military operation. The report, featuring inputs from Rohit Singh in Patna, explores how national, religious, and even international issues have become central to the campaign rhetoric in the high-stakes battle for Bihar.
This special report focuses on a fiery political speech in Bihar, making stunning allegations against the state government under Nitish Kumar and the central government led by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. The speaker claims, 'if someone goes to a Bihar hospital for treatment, they don't come back alive. They die there.' The address further alleges that Nitish Kumar's government is remote-controlled by the BJP and Nagpur. It highlights the creation of 'Two Indias,' citing an instance of a special clean water pond being made for the Prime Minister's bath in the Yamuna while Delhi struggles for clean water. The speech also includes serious accusations of cronyism, stating that land is taken from farmers and given to industrialists like Adani for a nominal sum of one rupee in Bihar, and mentions the Dharavi redevelopment in Maharashtra.
A political firestorm has erupted over remarks on Chhath Puja, with Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the charge against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The controversy ignited after Gandhi, at a Bihar rally, allegedly termed PM Modi's planned participation in Chhath rituals in Delhi a 'drama'. 'Rahul Baba, what do you think? The importance of Chhatt Pooja, the faith of the whole country towards Chhatt Pooja, you will not be able to understand,' Amit Shah stated, directly targeting Gandhi. The BJP has framed Gandhi's comments, which questioned the creation of a separate artificial pond for the PM, as an insult to the sacred festival, Chhath Maiya, and the sentiments of people from Bihar and Purvanchal. The Congress leader's original comments were reportedly a critique of what he saw as a political stunt, contrasting a specially prepared pond with the polluted Yamuna river where other devotees perform rituals.
In a fiery speech in Muzaffarpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the RJD-Congress alliance, accusing them of denigrating Bihar's sacred Chhath festival. PM Modi slammed the opposition, stating that for them, 'Chhathi Maiya Ki puja Ek drama hai nautanki hai' (the worship of Chhathi Maiya is a drama and a gimmick). He contrasted this with his government's efforts to secure a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage listing for Chhath Mahaparva. Recalling the infamous Golu kidnapping case from 2001 to evoke the lawlessness of the past, he defined the RJD's 'Jungle Raj' with five terms: 'katta' (guns), 'krurta' (cruelty), 'kattuta' (bitterness), 'kushasan' (misgovernance), and 'corruption'. The Prime Minister also highlighted the NDA's development work, including honouring Muzaffarpur's 'Kisan Chachi' Rajkumari Devi with the Padma Shri, and promoting local products through GI tags.
In a major address at a public rally in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his government's push to secure a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status for the Chhath Mahaparv. He also revealed plans for a nationwide competition for Chhath devotional songs to encourage youth participation and take the tradition to every corner of the country. 'Our government is continuously trying to get our Chhath Mahaparv's name registered in the UNESCO list,' PM Modi stated, highlighting the global pride this recognition would bring. The Prime Minister noted that the festival is now celebrated globally and shared that he was inspired by seeing a foreign national and a woman from Nagaland sing devotional Chhath songs with great feeling. The speech, delivered to a large crowd despite rain, was his first public address in the state after the conclusion of the Chhath festival.
