Jharsuguda: Hundreds of devotees gathered at various ghats and ponds across Jharsuguda district on Sunday evening to offer the ‘sandhya arghya’ to the setting sun as part of the four-day Chhath Puja. The festival will conclude on Monday morning with ‘usha arghya’, when the devotees will offer prayers to the rising sun before breaking their 36-hour fast.The festival was celebrated with religious fervour and devotion, particularly by the industrial town’s sizeable migrant population from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Devotees, predominantly married women, observed a rigorous 36-hour fast, praying for the well-being of their children and prosperity of their families.The festivities began on Friday with ‘Nahay Khay’, during which devotees took a holy dip and prepared traditional meals of ‘kaddu-bhat’ (rice and bottle gourd side). The second day, known as ‘Kharna’, involved preparing ‘kheer’ and ‘roti’ as offerings.“On the first day, devotees take a holy bath and bring home water for the rituals. During ‘Kharna’, special kheer prepared with rice, jaggery and milk is offered and shared with friends and family members,” said Rakesh Singh, a Jharsuguda resident.On Sunday, devotees stood in waist-deep water at various water bodies, offering prayers and ‘arghya’ to the setting sun amid traditional devotional songs.Unlike many Hindu festivals, Chhath Puja is performed without the involvement of priests, with devotees conducting the rituals themselves.