Nationwide Celebrations for Chhath Puja Begin Amidst Elaborate Security and Ghat Preparations

The <b>Chhath Puja</b> festival is being celebrated with great fervor across India, with extensive preparations made from Bihar to Delhi. Today marks the second day of the four-day festival, where devotees will offer prayers to the Sun God before beginning a rigorous 36-hour <b>nirjala fast</b>. Authorities have decorated riverbanks and ghats to accommodate the large number of worshippers, while strict security measures have been implemented to ensure public safety during the rituals. Meanwhile, heavy snowfall has been reported in parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, alongside rainfall alerts issued for several districts in Uttarakhand, impacting local travel and traffic conditions.