Manish Pandey applied for leave three months in advance so that he could be home for Chhath this year.

On Thursday, the employee of a private bank in Mumbai was relaxing at home in Rajabazaar and enjoying the traditional Kharna kheer with his family. He said: “I could not come home for Chhath over the past three years. But this time, I had applied for leave three months in advance. Thus, it was sanctioned without a hiccup. Now, I am happy to meet my family members, relatives and friends amid the festival fervour.”

Like Pandey, people observed Kharna on Thursday by sharing kheer and love among friends and relatives.

On the second day of Chhath, people cook the traditional kheer and clean the streets. This year was no different. After a quick visit to the ghats in the morning, devotees and revellers cooked the traditional sweet dish and shared it with near and dear ones in the evening. While enjoying the dish, elders narrated Chhath folklore to children.

The streets of the city were also spick and span on Thursday. Following the tradition, residents took up cleaning work themselves. After sundown, the roads were not dark on Thursday, unlike other evenings. Chhath puja samitis have decorated the streets with bright lights. Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation has also taken up repairs of 1,100 streetlights.

Digha resident Pramila Devi said: “On Kharna, people take a dip in the Ganga and get holy water to cook kheer. It is distributed among friends and family, after the vrati (one who observed the rituals) breaks fast.”

All through the day, devotees crowded markets at Rajabazaar, Digha and Ashok Rajpath. Fruit and prasad shops were open through the night, as people were busy with last-minute shopping. The crowds on the street meant traffic chaos. There were long traffic snarls all over the city. But the festive mood triumphed over minor inconveniences.

“Crimes and road rage are rare during Chhath. Instead, people try to help each other,” said Suresh Mishra, a resident of Ashiana Nagar.

He added: “Young volunteers of Chhath puja samitis provide sugarcane, soop (wicker baskets) and seasonal fruit that devotees need for the rituals.”

On Friday evening, devotees would offer the first arghya (obeisance) to the Sun God by standing in waist-deep water. After the district administration declared many of the 72 ghats in the city unsafe (see graphic), devotees rushed to the safe ghats on Thursday.

SK Nagar resident Surendra Sinha said: “It is better to go to the ghats west of Kurji, like Rajapur, Pehalwan and Bans Ghat. The Ganga is flowing close to the banks at these ghats.”

Doctors at riverbank

Neurophysician Gopal Prasad Sinha, along with a team of doctors, visited Pehalwan Ghat, Collectorate Ghat, Digha Ghat and Patna Medical College and Hospital Ghat on Thursday to take stock of the medical preparedness.

Sinha discussed the situation with volunteers of Chhath puja committees and assured them of all help. Doctors Kumar Ashish, Shivendra Sinha and Uday Narayan Singh accompanied him.