Mahottari, Oct 24: A joint Nepal-India Chhath ghat has been constructed along the Bigahi River located on the border of Mahottari and Dhanusha.
An attractive ghat, about two kilometres long, has been constructed on the bank of the Bigahi River, for convenience of the devotees observing the Chhath festival on October 27.
Matihani Municipality Mayor Hari Prasad Mandal said that the Chhath ghat has been constructed for the residents of Wards 6, 7, and 8 of Matihani Municipality in Nepal, Tulasiyahi of Mukhiyapatti Musaharnia Rural Municipality–3 in Dhanusha, and for the locals in Madhawapur and Rampur areas in India.
He stated that although they live in separate countries, citizens of Nepal and India have been constructing a common Chhath ghat as they practice shared religion, culture, festivals, marital traditions and joys and sorrows.
“The no-man’s land has separated our two countries, but our costumes, language, culture and festivals are the same. There is a culture of celebrating cultural festivals together, and this ghat is an example of that,” said Mayor Mandal.
Citizens from Matihani and Tulasiyahi in Nepal and Madhawapur and Rampur in India have come together to decorate this shared ghat between Nepal and India.
Jit Narayan Majhi, the Chairman of Matihani, Ward 7, said that more than two thousand devotees from both countries are expected to perform the Chhath Arghya rituals at this ghat and over ten thousand devotees will be present to observe the festival.
During this festival, devoted to the worship of the Sun god and the goddess Shashti Devi (commonly called Chhathi Devi), the fasting devotees will offer ‘arghya’ to the setting sun on the evening of Kartik Shukla Shashthi which falls on October 27 and to the rising sun on the morning of Saptami on October 28, after bathing at this very ghat.
