Digital Innovations Enhance Chhath Puja Preparations in Patna

Patna, November 14 (Daily Kiran) : The Chhath Puja, a significant festival of faith and sun worship, is a hallmark of Bihar’s cultural identity. Over four days, millions of devotees gather by rivers, ponds, and other water bodies to offer prayers to the Sun God. This year, ensuring the safety and convenience of devotees poses a considerable challenge for the administration.

In an innovative move, the district administration of Patna has launched a digital initiative to facilitate this year’s Chhath Puja. An official web app has been developed, providing essential information about the various ghats (riverbanks) to devotees at the click of a button. With this app, users can access details about nearby ghats, available amenities, and safety measures before heading out.

One of the app’s standout features is its offline functionality, allowing users to view critical information even without an internet connection. Upon opening the app, devotees will be greeted with a digital map showcasing nearby Chhath ghats and their facilities. This will help identify safe, dangerous, and unsuitable locations for the rituals.

The administration has marked 90 safe ghats for this year’s festivities, while eight have been declared dangerous and seven unsuitable. To protect devotees from hazardous areas, the app includes specific arrangements for accessing maps and information about these locations. Additionally, the platform will provide details on first aid centers, assistance points, restrooms, changing rooms, drinking water, and parking facilities.

According to the administration, the app will feature information about nine first aid centers, 19 assistance points, 25 restroom locations, 27 changing rooms, 14 drinking water sites, and 46 parking areas. To ensure the safety of participants, extensive arrangements have been made, including the establishment of 607 temporary toilets, 560 urinals, and 453 changing rooms. In case of emergencies, 321 boats and crew members, along with 432 divers, have been deployed, supported by nine teams from the NDRF and eight from the SDRF.

Devotees can utilize this app to stay informed about available amenities and safety protocols. Furthermore, to alleviate crowd pressure at the Ganga ghats during Chhath Puja, the Patna Municipal Corporation has initiated special measures. In addition to the Ganga ghats, 72 permanent and temporary public sites across various neighborhoods, ponds, parks, and temple complexes have been designated for offering prayers.

Special arrangements have also been made at the Mangla Talab in Patna City, where many devotees flock to the Ganga ghats due to its proximity. Other public sites have been organized to minimize the need for long travels.

To further assist devotees, small water e-carts are being used to mix Ganga water into the ponds. The Kartik Chhath festival commenced on Friday with the Nahay-Khay ritual, followed by the Kharna ceremony on Saturday, the evening offerings to the setting sun on Sunday, and the morning offerings to the rising sun on Monday. The four-day festival will conclude with the Usha Arghya, after which devotees will break their fast.