The dry river bed of the Falgu in Gaya. Picture by Suman

Sita’s curse has turned Falgu into a hotspot for Chhath devotees.

According to the Ramayana, at one point of time Falgu was one of the major rivers of India. But its fate changed when Lord Ram visited Gaya with wife Sita for pinddaan during pitripaksha. While Ram and brother Lakshman were away, to fetch pinddaan material, suddenly an akashvani (celestial announcement) happened, stating that this was the best time to offer pinddaan.

Honouring the akashvani, Sita performed the pinddaan keeping the Falgu, a Brahmin, a cow, tulsi (holy basil) and a banyan tree (vat) as witnesses. When the two brothers returned, she told them she had performed the ritual on hearing the akashvani. But when she looked at her witnesses, except for the banyan tree none of the others testified that Sita had indeed performed pinddaan.

Sita then cursed the Falgu, which lost its water.

Though cursed, the river is safe for kids and the elderly during Chhath. At some places the water is not more than knee deep. So, devotees have a pleasant time during early morning and evening Chhath rituals at the river.

Rajiv Kumar Sharma (47), a resident of Chowk area, said: “In our childhood, we enjoyed elephant and camel rides on the river bed during Chhath. Our kids are deprived of such rides. Yet, there is a lot of activity during the festival.”

Since the Falgu is subterranean, the riverbed is not filled with water. So, the administration employs earthmovers to dig kunds where devotees can offer arghya. Water is not available anywhere on the riverbed. One has to dig two-three feet deep for it.

Like every year, the administration initiates steps to ensure better arrangement for devotees thronging the ghats of the Falgu and the Suryakund pond near the Vishnupad temple.

Residents, too, come forward and arrange to clean up their respective localities. A subterranean river, Falgu has always been associated with pinddaan. But the river is also where most Chhath rituals are performed.

Arghya (obeisance) is offered to the Sun God at different ghats on the Falgu’s 12km-long stretch from Bodhgaya to Gaya.

Arrangements are on to clean up and provide facilities at the Falgu’s 16 ghats, including prominent ones like Kendui, Deo, Pitamaheshwar, Brahmani, Pitamaheshwar, Mahadev, Sirhia and Bageshwari.

Gaya Municipal Corporation (GMC) commissioner Nilesh Deore said: “For the first time, a makeshift changing room for women devotees is being set up at the ghats.”

A tender of Rs 4.5 lakh was floated for this.