Delhi government announces November 10 as public holiday for Chhath Puja

One of the most auspicious festivals of Bihar, Chhath Puja, is round the corner. The festival is celebrated on a very large scale and has huge importance in the state. Well, the Kejriwal-led government has announced a public holiday on November 10 owing to the celebration of the Chhath Puja. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has issued an order last week regarding the celebration of the festival at a few designated sites except the banks of the Yamuna river.

November 10 as public holiday for Chhath Puja

The statement released by the Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, reads, "Chhath Puja is an important festival for the people of NCT of Delhi. Accordingly, the Government of Delhi has decided to declare November 10, 2021, as a public holiday on account of Chhath Puja." The authority further said designated sites shall be identified and managed by the respective District Magistrate in coordination with concerned departments agencies.

Earlier, the DDMA had issued a notice on September 30, banning the celebration of Chhath Puja in public places as Delhi was still recording a high amount of COVID-19 cases at that time. The state government in late October decided to allow the celebration of Chhath Puja in the national capital following strict coronavirus-related guidelines in place.

It is worth mentioning here that the Chhath Puja is celebrated just after Diwali in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The Puja involves fasting and offering the Sun god 'Arghya' early in the morning in knee-deep water by women. The festival continues over three days.