Team Herald
VASCO: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant participated in the Chhath puja celebrations at Baina beach on Thursday, in the presence of Vasco MLA Krishna ‘Daji’ Salkar, Mormugao Municipal Council chairperson GirishBorker, Sancoale Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Member Anita Thorat, Chicalim sarpanch Kamla Prasad Yadav, councillors, and thousands of devotees in a festive display of unity.
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Speaking on the occasion, Sawant praised the organisers for holding the Chhath puja at Baina beach for over the past eight years, transforming it into a place of spiritual significance. He said, Baina beach was now a focal point for spiritual tourism and displays India’s ‘Unity in Diversity.’ This event embodies the essence of an Akhand Bharat, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where Indians unite and celebrate festivals together,” said Sawant.
Sawant expressed the government’s commitment to improve Baina beach’s infrastructure, given its increasing popularity among devotees and tourists alike. He emphasized that the festivities enhance the spiritual tourism potential of the beach.
Chhath Puja, dedicated to the Sun God and his wives Usha and Sandhya, is celebrated by fasting devotees who perform rigorous rituals over four days. This includes holy bathing, fasting without water (Vrat), etc.
and standing in water to offer arghya to the setting and rising sun. The beach saw many women dressed traditionally, carrying puja thalis and sugarcane stalks, symbolizing gratitude to the Sun for life’s bounties.
