Nawada: The traditional songs of Chhathi Maiya resonated through the walls of Nawada Divisional Jail, as inmates observed the annual Chhath festival with unwavering faith and devotion.
While Chhath is celebrated across Bihar, Jharkhand, and among Indian communities abroad, this year the festival’s sacred rituals were observed behind bars, illustrating the resilience of belief even in confinement.
Inmates, including Lailun Devi, Rinki Devi, Rinku Devi, Sukari Devi, Sushila Devi, Anita Devi, Anandi Prasad, and Praveen Kumar, performed the Mahaparva fast within the jail premises. Traditional songs such as “Ug Hey Suraj Dev” filled the air, creating an atmosphere of piety and dedication that masked the usual austerity of prison life.
The celebration began with Nahay-Khaay, followed by the Kharna ritual, during which prisoners observed purity, and partook in prasad of jaggery-rice pudding, roti, and bananas. They also cleaned the jail premises and constructed a small ghat to offer prayers to the setting and rising sun.
The sight of earthen lamps flickering on the ghat, accompanied by devotional songs, transformed the jail into a space of spiritual reflection. Jail Superintendent Brijesh Singh Mehta remarked, “Faith knows no bounds. This celebration shows that, irrespective of circumstances, values and devotion remain alive.”
Both male and female inmates fasted collectively, praying to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya for the well-being of their families and for a new beginning in life. Many were visibly moved, with tears reflecting the hope and self-confidence rekindled through the ritual.
