Chhath maiya biggest symbol of social harmony: UP CM Adityanath

LUCKNOW, (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said festivals like Chhath are a perfect example of the dedication with which people are working together towards cleanliness and to preserve nature.

Addressing a Chhath gathering at the Laxman Mela Ground on the Gomti beach here, he said the sun is called the father of the world in our tradition and nothing can be imagined without the sun.

Chhath Puja, which involves the offering of ‘arghya’ to the sun god by fasting women in knee-deep water, is being celebrated on October 30 and 31.

Chhath maiya whom people worship is the biggest symbol of social harmony, the chief minister said.

”We all know that this is a festival of faith and the whole society joins together for the event. The importance of this festival is the philosophy of collective. Festivals like Chhath are a perfect example of the dedication with which we all are working together towards nature, towards cleanliness and towards building our faith,” Adityanath said.

He said wherever there are Bhojpuris in the country and around the world, Chhath is being celebrated. This festival is being celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, the terai of Nepal.

During the festival, complete attention is paid to one’s inner and outer purification, he said.

On this occasion, Bhojpuri Samaj president Prabhunath Rai welcomed the chief minister and all other guests.

Many prominent people, including Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Legislative Council member Govind Narayan Shukla, Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, Principal Secretary Home Sanjay Prasad, were present on the occasion. (PTI)