Patna: As the festival of faith and the Sun God approaches, the spiritual fervour of Chhath Puja 2025 has reached even the high walls of Patna’s Beur Central Jail. This year, 34 inmates — 14 women and 20 men — will observe the four-day festival, performing all rituals from Nahay-Khay to Arghya within the prison premises.
According to Jail Superintendent Neeraj Kumar Jha, preparations are in full swing. “The prison pond has been specially arranged for inmates to offer arghya to the Sun in the traditional way,” he said. The administration has also provided new sarees for women inmates and clothes for their children, ensuring the festival spirit remains intact.
The Bihar government has officially approved the observance, recognizing the emotional and cultural importance of the festival. “Chhath Puja is a festival of purity, discipline, and devotion. It symbolises hope, gratitude, and the state’s collective wish for progress,” said Jha, extending greetings to all inmates and citizens.
The prison authorities will also provide ritual materials and festive meals. On Nahay-Khay, the first day of Chhath, inmates will receive traditional kaddu-bhaat as prasad, followed by kheer-roti during Kharna.
