Patna, India — What began as a hopeful morning for countless devotees celebrating Chhath Puja turned into a day of tragedy, claiming the lives of at least 22 individuals, many of whom were children. As crowds gathered at riverbanks and ghats to honor the rising Sun, multiple accidents shattered the festive spirit across Bihar.
In districts including Khagaria, Nalanda, Purnia, Bhagalpur, and Patna, families intending to partake in rituals instead faced unimaginable grief. Reports indicate that drownings and health emergencies marked this year’s celebrations, leaving many communities in mourning.
In Patna’s Barh subdivision, three lives were lost during the morning Arghya. Two young men died in the Ganga River after attempting to save a friend who had slipped beneath the surface. Rescue attempts were in vain, and both were pronounced dead shortly after. In a separate incident, a woman observing the Chhath fast suffered a heart attack on her way to the ghat. Though her family rushed her to a nearby hospital, she was declared dead upon arrival.
The tragedy deepened in Khagaria, where six children drowned in separate incidents. In Rasounk village, four children perished while bathing near the river. Local authorities and emergency personnel mobilized quickly to recover their bodies. In another heartbreaking event, eight-year-old Nandini Kumari drowned in the Kosi River while assisting her family in constructing a temporary ghat.
Nalanda also faced a series of misfortunes, with seven individuals losing their lives at various Chhath ghats. Among them was 10-year-old Kumar Sawant, who drowned at the Balwachak Chhath Ghat. Fourteen-year-old Shambhu Kumar went missing when he was swept away in the Panchane River; divers continued searching late into the night.
In Purnia, the expected joy at Tatma Toli Chhath Pokhar Ghat turned tragic when two brothers, Satyam and Shivam, drowned after bathing following the evening Arghya. Locals managed to rescue them but were too late to save their lives at Sadar Hospital.
Bhagalpur saw a similar fate, where four children drowned during the evening offering to the setting Sun at Smilepur police station. The area, once filled with celebratory songs, quickly fell silent as the weight of the day’s events settled over families.
In light of the widespread tragedies, district administrations mobilized response teams to assist with rescue efforts and provide support to affected families. Officials have expressed deep condolences and emphasized the necessity for enhanced safety protocols at ghats during future festivities. Despite their efforts to improve safety measures, including barricades and police oversight, many popular ghat locations still lacked adequate safety infrastructure, such as ropes and clear warnings indicating deep-water zones.
One official from the Khagaria district administration acknowledged the ongoing challenges of managing large crowds during Chhath. “Every year, we strive for better arrangements, but crowd management remains difficult, particularly in rural areas where local water bodies are used for rituals,” he stated.
For many families that gathered to honor life and renewal through the morning Arghya, the day became a solemn reflection on loss, transforming the celebration into a moment for mourning and remembrance.