Akhara Ghat in the heart of north Bihar’s commercial capital, Muzaffarpur, is the most sought-after place during Chhath.

Those observing fast during the festival throng a long stretch on the banks of the Budhi Gandak river — from Ashram Ghat to Chandwara Ghat en route to Akhara Ghat — to offer “argya” to the Sun God.

Generally, around 60,000 devotees congregate along the banks at Akhara Ghat with family members to complete the rituals. “There is a lot of space on the river bank at Akhara Ghat, where the Budhi Gandak flows,” says Manisha Sinha, who has arrived from New Delhi where she works for a corporate house. “We devotees prefer it for religious formalities.”

Nisha Singh, another Chhath devotee, prefers Akharaghat because of the free-flowing water, entering which she offers salute to the Sun God. Yet another Chhath devotee, Sudha Srivastava, listed specific reasons why Akhara Ghat is so sought after by women and young girls. “The area is under strict police surveillance,” Sudha said.

“Chances of eve-teasing and snatching are minimal because of police movement and exercises to regulate traffic.”

Considering the possibility of multitudes descending along Akhara Ghat, district magistrate (DM) Dharmendra Kumar has planned barricading into the river so as to restrict devotees from stepping into deep waters. As the river is in spate, the district administration has asked the municipal corporation to barricade it where the waters are deep, said the DM.

Two units of the national disaster response force and some divers will be on standby to meet any eventuality.

Besides, plying of boats on the river has already been banned. Necessary lighting and medical teams will be there to help devotees, their family members and visitors, the DM said.

Nageshwar Prasad, a septuagenarian resident of Barhampura, said people’s interest in Chhath rituals picked up in the 1970s and is now reaching crescendo.

Earlier, people used to gather near ponds but now Akhara Ghat is the most sought-after place.