KB Block last week organised what was perhaps the only community Chhath puja in Salt Lake this year.

The festival, which is most celebrated in and around Bihar, requires a water body for devotees to enter and worship the sun at sunset and again the following morning at sunrise. Until a few years ago, most devotees from the area would head to Subhas Sarobar, opposite Swabhumi. Due to pollution concerns, it is now out of bounds during the festival and so KB Block set up the infrastructure on its premises.

“Our flats are occupied by central government employees from all around the country, including many from Bihar and UP, for whom Chhath is the biggest festival. Once Subhas Sarobar closed its doors to Chhath, devotees had to trek to distant venues or return to their hometowns for the celebration. So five years ago, we decided to arrange our own Chhath,” said Debabrata Das, secretary of the block’s Chhath and Jagaddhatri puja committees.

In one side of the field where the Jagaddhatri puja was also held, a pit about 8ft x10ft was dug up, lined with flex and plastic sheets, and filled with 6,000l of water from the corporation’s tanker. Around five women at a time then waded into the knee-deep water, holding aarti thalis, banana stems, and other puja items. They dipped the items in the water, turned around and said their prayers facing the sun.

Councillor Minu Das Chakraborty had come down to extend her wishes.

“Usually, only one woman from a family performs the puja as it is very demanding. We have to fast for three days,” said Pratibha Devi, on getting out of the water. But Rinku Singh said they draw strength from the sun. “Sometimes people pray for something on this day and promise to start observing the puja if it comes true,” she said.

Some women sat by the water, singing Chhath songs. One of them, Asha Devi, also spoke about cleanliness. “Every nook and corner of the house has to be cleaned for Chhath. It is as important as fasting,” she said.

Sunil Kumar, whose wife Sanju Devi was singing, felt it was a great initiative by the complex to hold Chhath in house. “Subhas Sarobar used to be a good venue but after that, we had to go to Babughat, which is so crowded that it’s hard to manage with children. But a puja in our own complaex is peaceful, homely and convenient,” he said.

Then again, those like like Niki Singh missed the crowd. “More people make it more fun. Sometimes we go back to our village in Muzaffarpur for Chhath to experience that collective atmosphere,” said the beautician, whose mother has been perfoming puja for 28 years now.

KB Block is also known for its grand Jagaddhatri puja and residents feel it was a lucky coincidence that both Jagaddhatri and Chhath pujas were on the same day this year. “I’m a Bengali and have lived in this complex for 30 years. I love watching my Bihari neighbours celebrate this festival and have immense respect for those who are able to perform the puja. I watch Chhath and Jagadhatri rituals with the same devotion,” said Haripriya Patra.