The young have broght in some changes in the manner in which they observe Chhath without tampering with its spirit. 
Some of the age-old traditions that have undergone changes include carrying out the rituals on the river banks, sleeping alone when observing the rituals, the clothes worn during the period and more.

Cleanliness being a priority for the young, carrying out the rituals on the ghats of the murky Ganga waters has become the first casualty. 

“The ghats and the Ganga are so dirty, the water is just not good to take a holy dip in. So, we make a temporary, small trench on our terrace, fill it up with water and take our dip there. The water is changed every day to ensure cleanliness. This way, the festive spirit is not tampered with and we also use clean water,” said Amrita Bhushan, a 32-year-old woman entrepreneur in the city.

Some customs have been modified too. 

“According to tradition, devotees are not supposed to wear stitched clothes while performing the prayers. But now we wear stitched clothes so as not to draw unwanted attention and problems. Some rituals should be modified with time,” says Mitali Rai, 34-year-old homemaker, who performs arghya at Hajipur on the Ganga.

In fact, the advent of the nuclear family brought in some modifications in the rituals. “In a joint family, devotees can easily perform the traditional rituals but it’s not always easy for those living in nuclear families. In the traditional way, during Chhath Puja, the devotee is not allowed to live in any room other than the one in which the puja is performed. Now, I have two kids, both below eight years of age. It is difficult to leave them alone and move to the puja room. So I sleep with them in their room. Maybe someday when they are grown up, I will start performing rituals the traditional way,” says Chandna Shrivastava, a 32-year-old devotee.

Also, some people have found a way to bypass some restrictions without tampering with the spirit. “During puja, a devotee is not allowed to comb one’s hair as combs are made of plastic, which is considered inauspicious. So, I use a wooden comb, as not combing hair leads to hairfall,” says Survi Singh, a 36-year-old IT professional.   

The items used for puja  have also undergone a change. Earlier, people used the traditional bamboo basket, called soop. 
“Till a few years ago, the soops were all the same. Now, colourful soops have added extra colour to the celebrations. There are few shops which even customise the soop to suit your budget. Designer soops cost anything from Rs 50 upwards. Small modifications make the festival colourful and easy-going,” says Amrita.