Rautahat, October 23

A day ahead of Chhath — a major festival in the Tarai Madhes — devotees in Rautahat were busy making necessary preparations for the festival today.

Usually, preparations for the festival begin from the day of Bhaitika itself. As women devotees seek to make necessary purchases, the marketplaces remain crowded, even bordering Indian towns. In view of the festival, lakes, ponds and river banks have been decked.

According to Chief District Officer Uddhav Bahadur Thapa, security has been beefed up in the district to avoid any untoward incident. “As incidents such as theft,

robbery and the likes are likely on such occasions, we have intensified patrolling,” CDO Thapa said.

The festival is celebrated for three days.

On the first day of the festival, devotees take sacred food. On the second day, they observe fasting and take various delicacies in the evening. On the third day, the devotees offer holy water to the setting sun. The festival concludes by offering holy water to the rising sun the next day.

Meanwhile, a blood donation programme was organised in Birgunj today. The programme was organised by Ghadiarwa Sports Club on the occasion of Chhath. A total of 103 persons, including five women, donated blood on the occasion today.