Meena Devi prepares Kharna prasad in Patna on Tuesday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Come to Kamla Nehru Nagar in the city to witness how a festival can bind people from different faiths on a common thread — Chhath.

Among the various localities, where women are observing the four-day festival of the Sun God, Kamla Nehru Nagar clearly stands out.

Reason: Minority and Hindu families celebrate the festival with equal gusto, helping out each other in various rituals.

Take for example the case of Meena Devi. Meena has been observing Chhath since the past six years. Born into a minority family, Meena was married to a Hindu. It would have been very difficult for her to observe the rituals for such a long time had the Hindu families of the neighbourhood not supported her.

“I did not know anything about this festival but when I decided to perform it, our Hindu neighbours came to my rescue and taught me the rituals. They make food for my children, when I am busy in the festival rituals. The neighbourhood children help me clean my house. They also assist me decorate my house,” said Meena. She started observing this festival after the Sun God fulfilled her wish of curing her son suffering from meningitis.

Meena said she had seen her mother Asma Khatun observe Chhath. “Even after six years of marriage, my mother could not conceive. My parents took medical help in futile. A Hindu woman suggested my mother to observe Chhath. I was born a year after my mother started observing it. A grand celebration followed my birth. My mother had told me about all this, which inspired me to fast for my son’s welfare,” added Meena.

Malti Devi, Meena’s neighbour, seen helping Meena prepare the Kharna prasad on Tuesday, said: “I am Hindu but I am not observing Chhath. It gives me real pleasure to help Meena observe this festival.”

Baby Devi, another minority woman observing Chhath in the same locality, said: “I have invited my parents to eat the Chhath prasad but I know they won’t come. They don’t want me to celebrate the Sun fest. My Hindu neighbours help me with the tough rituals, they are family. A Hindu family gave me mango wood on which I am making prasad.”