Sunset prayers, silent songs: Assam’s sombre Chhath remembers Zubeen, Sharda Sinha

Guwahati, Oct 28: Sandhya Arghya of Chhath Parva – the festival that venerates the setting and rising sun, was observed across Assam today with great devotion and austerity. Lakhs of devotees gathered at riverbanks, ponds, and ghats to offer obeisance to the setting sun, marking the penultimate day of the four-day-long Chhath rituals.

This year’s Chhath in Assam bore a sombre tone. The passing of iconic singer Zubeen Garg a month ago and the earlier demise of Chhath’s musical soul Sharda Sinha last year lent the festival a melancholic undercurrent. In all the Chhath ghats, the usual festive cultural evenings gave way to quiet remembrance. Portraits of the two celebrated singers adorned makeshift pandals, as devotees recalled their music and legacy.

While Sharda Sinha’s lilting Bhojpuri devotional songs had long become synonymous with the festival, Zubeen Garg too had lent his voice to the devotional track Kaanch hi Baas ke Bahangiya, which played hauntingly in the background as devotees offered milk and water to the Sun God during the Sandhya Arghya.

Adding a political undertone this year was the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Many people from Bihar residing in Assam travelled back to their home State to both observe the rituals and cast their votes. “The crowd was thinner this time compared to other years because many devotees went back home to perform the puja and participate in elections,” said Aditya Sinha, a devotee.

In Guwahati, over 50 Chhath Puja Committees took responsibility for smooth conduct of the rituals. The administration, in coordination with these committees, arranged facilities and designated ghats across the city, from the Brahmaputra riverbank stretching from Uzanbazar to Bharalumukh and Sonaram School Field ghat, to Sunsali in Noonmati, Pandughat, Maligaon Railway Stadium, Birubari, Jyotikuchi, Narengi, Patharquary, Azara, Chandrapur, and Sonapur. The ghats and ponds were cleaned, illuminated, and decorated for the occasion.

Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya attended the Chhath Puja Mahotsav 2025 organized by Purvottar Hindustani Yuvak Samaj at Shukreshwar Ghat in Guwahati. The event drew a large gathering of devotees, community leaders, and officials, who together paid homage to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Acharya highlighted the cultural, spiritual, and ecological significance of Chhath Puja. “This auspicious occasion signifies the harmony of faith and tradition and fills my heart with happiness. The divine sight of devotees offering prayers to Chhathi Maiya reflects the vitality and unity of Indian culture,” he said.

“The true soul of this festival lies in our fasting mothers and sisters,” he said also lauding the festival’s ecological message, where elements like clay lamps, banana leaves, sugarcane, coconuts, and fruits reflect simplicity.

Among those present were MP Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MLA Siddhartha Bhattacharya, chairman of Duliajan Numaligarh Pipeline Limited Dr Vijay Kumar Gupta, president of Purvottar Hindustani Yuvak Samaj BK Singh, and president of Purvottar Hindustani Sammelan Devendra Rai, along with several dignitaries and a large number of devotees.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, extending his greetings on social media, said, “Sandhya Arghya is the main day of Chhath Puja, a celebration of faith, devotion, and harmony with nature. As devotees gather at the ghats to offer arghya to the setting Sun, I extend my heartfelt wishes to everyone. May Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya bless all with happiness, prosperity, and light.”

By Staff Reporter