Chhath Puja is one of the oldest and most sacred festivals of the Hindu Dharma, dedicated to the worship of Surya Dev and Maa Shashthi (Chhathi Maiya). It is not just a ritual but a deep expression of gratitude towards nature, acknowledging the Sun as the eternal source of life, health, energy, and sustenance on Earth. Devotees observe an intense nirjal (waterless) fast, maintain complete purity, and offer arghya to the setting and rising sun while standing in rivers, ponds, lakes, or ghats. This festival does not involve murti worship; it honors the five elements of nature, especially water, light, and earth, making Chhath a pure reflection of Vedic ecological philosophy.
Cultural and social significance of Chhath Puja
Chhath Puja is deeply rooted in the river-valley civilizations of Aryavarta, particularly in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Nepal’s Madhesh region, and wherever migrant families have established their roots. Socially, it is a festival that breaks all barriers of caste and class, with no priestly compulsion, no temple-bound system, and no hierarchical division. Every devotee is equal. Women play a central role, symbolizing the dignity of motherhood, family well-being, fertility, abundance, and the continuity of the family line. Its core values are discipline, purity, collective harmony, and reverence for nature, making Chhath not merely a festival but a living cultural identity of millions of Hindu families.
Systematic attempts to disturb Chhath Puja across Bharat (2020–2025)
Between 2020 and 2025, several disturbing incidents occurred across Bharat where Chhath Puja celebrations were obstructed, ghats were vandalized, offerings were defiled, and devotees were intimidated. This report compiles nine such documented incidents, highlighting a pattern of deliberate attempts to disrupt and disrespect one of the most peaceful and spiritually elevating festivals in the Hindu tradition.
Chhath Puja is a celebration of peace, gratitude, and devotion; it involves no aggression, loud displays, or provocation. Yet, repeated attacks on Chhath ghats and devotees are not just isolated events; they are an attack on the cultural fabric and civilizational identity of the Hindu society. When such a deeply family-centered and nature-centered festival is targeted, it creates not merely physical damage but emotional and cultural trauma for millions of Hindu devotees.
One such instance occurred on 28 October 2025 at Chikla Ghat in Kishanganj, Bihar, where banana arches and decorations prepared for Chhath were vandalized. The site was intentionally polluted, and animal bones along with filth were thrown near the ghats, desecrating the sacred space prepared with days of devotion. And this is not an isolated case, similar incidents over the past five years point to the involvement of radicalized elements aiming to disturb communal peace and undermine Hindu cultural practices.
Desecration of Chhath Ghat in Kishanganj, Bihar (28 October 2025)
On the morning of 28 October 2025, a disturbing incident was reported from Chikla Ghat in Kishanganj, Bihar, where preparations for Chhath Puja were deliberately vandalized. Devotees had decorated the ghat with traditional banana arches and offerings, but before the sunrise rituals could begin, a group of radical Islamist individuals allegedly destroyed the decorations, scattered filth, and threw animal bones and human waste at the sacred site.
The devotees who arrived at dawn for Arghya were shocked and deeply anguished to see the state of the ghat. Visuals showed broken banana frames, defiled offerings, and polluted water, making the site unfit for worship. Witnesses stated that this was not an accidental act, but a premeditated attempt to insult the Hindu festival and prevent the community from conducting their rituals.
These groups purposely dirty the Chhath Ghat. They throw animal bones here. They want to create fear and stop us from doing our puja. This is not the first time they have tried to disrupt Chhath. Such acts are not only an insult to religious sentiments but also a direct attack on the cultural and emotional identity of the Hindu families who observe Chhath with discipline, devotion, and purity. The involvement of anti-social and radicalized elements highlights a pattern of targeted disruption, aimed at creating communal tension.
Chhath Ghat vandalized in Purnia, Bihar (8 November 2024)
On 8 November 2024, in Mala Ganj Tola of Purnia district (Bihar), a group of radical Islamist miscreants allegedly vandalized the Chhath Ghat prepared by Hindu devotees. The decorations, bamboo arrangements, and offerings were destroyed overnight.
Local residents stated that the region has a significant Muslim population, and during Hindu festivals, certain groups routinely target religious activities to create fear and discourage public celebrations.
Video evidence of the incident was widely circulated, showing the damaged ghat and broken decorations. Devotees expressed frustration, asserting that these disruptions are now happening every year, particularly during Chhath.
This incident once again highlights a pattern of hostility where Hindu religious spaces are intentionally desecrated during sacred observances.
Second attack in Purnia, Bihar (7 November 2024)
On 7 November 2024, an incident occurred in Kanaria Ganj village, Purnia. As devotees prepared the Chhath offering area with banana leaf arches and bamboo frames, a group of Islamist youths allegedly arrived and destroyed the setup, tearing down the structures and scattering the offerings.
When local Hindus protested, police initially hesitated to act, causing further anger. Only after persistent demands and the gathering of villagers was an FIR finally lodged against the accused individuals, but no immediate arrests were made.
Community members reported that the aim was to disrupt Chhath rituals and intimidate the Hindu population, as such incidents had occurred here multiple times in previous years.
Obstruction of Chhath maidan development in Bhagalpur, Bihar (7 November 2024)
On 7 November 2024, in Bhagalpur, Bihar, Islamist groups obstructed the construction of a Chhath Maidan that was being developed to provide a safer and more organised space for worship. The dispute was created on the grounds that the land was adjacent to a mosque.
The opposing group claimed that Chhath gatherings, music, and loudspeakers would disturb their namaz and therefore the construction must not be allowed. They demanded that no Hindu festival activity should take place near the mosque.
This incident reflects a growing trend where public spaces are contested, and Hindus are pressured to restrict their cultural and religious events, even when these events are peaceful, traditional, and centuries-old.
Disruption of Chhath celebrations in Ghunampur, West Champaran (4 November 2024)
On 4 November 2024, in Ghunampur village of Lok Aasa area, West Champaran (Bihar), radical Islamist groups allegedly created a disturbance during the Chhath celebrations. The decorations and temporary Chhath Ghat structures prepared by the villagers were intentionally damaged.
According to local reports, the miscreants tore down the bamboo arches, damaged the ghats, and attempted to stop the devotees from continuing with the preparations. Videos of the incident circulated widely on social platforms, showing the panic and outrage among the residents, who stated that the attack was planned and not accidental.
This disruption caused fear among women devotees, many of whom were fasting and preparing for the sacred evening Arghya.
Chhath Ghat damaged in Nikasal Village, West Champaran (3 November 2024)
On 3 November 2024, Islamist miscreants allegedly vandalized Chhath decorations in Nikasal village (Ghunampur Panchayat), West Champaran. The bamboo and thatch structures constructed by the villagers for Chhath Puja were destroyed overnight.
Local residents reported that while the Nikasal villagers have been performing Chhath at this ghat for many years, a group of individuals tried to claim the area as their personal property, asserting control and attempting to prevent public worship there.
This incident evoked strong protests from villagers who demanded strict action. The local administration later confirmed that the incident was not a land dispute, but a deliberate attempt to stop the festival activities.
Chhath Ghat destroyed in Hasanpur Village, Siwan (4 January 2024)
On 4 January 2024, in Hasanpur village (Siwan district, Bihar), a large Chhath Ghat setup spread over 60 kattha of land was demolished by a group of Islamist individuals. This ghat had been in use for decades, with local Hindu families performing Chhath here for generations.
The miscreants reportedly mocked and taunted the devotees while tearing down the structures, and allegedly attempted to encroach on the land, claiming it as their own. Villagers clarified that the land had always been used for community rituals, not private ownership.
This incident was a direct attempt to erase cultural continuity and intimidate the Hindu community by disrupting an ancestral worship space.
Hindu girl performing Chhath abducted in Zimidara, Haryana (19 November 2020)
On 19 November 2020, in Zimidara (Haryana), a deeply disturbing incident took place where a Hindu girl observing Chhath Puja was allegedly abducted by a Muslim youth named Mohammad Ikram, along with 8–10 accomplices. The girl was taken from her home in front of her family members, who were unable to resist due to the intimidation and force used by the group.
The victim’s mother reported that the accused had been harassing, threatening, and trying to coerce the girl for months prior to the incident. The abduction occurred on the day of Chhath, when the family was preparing for the sacred ritual, indicating a deliberate targeting during a moment of religious observance.
This incident not only violated the dignity and safety of the girl and her family, but also inflicted a psychological wound on the community, demonstrating how radical elements exploit religious occasions to harass, weaken, and terrorize Hindu households.
Chhath Ghat desecrated in Kawarhar, Bihar (20 November 2020)
On 20 November 2020, in Kawarhar (Bihar), a group of Islamists allegedly blocked Hindu devotees from performing Chhath at the local ghat. The disruption reportedly began when Hindu women were singing traditional devotional songs, a customary part of the Chhath ritual.
Angered by this, a mob gathered and prevented the devotees from performing the puja, forcing them to stop the ceremony. Following this, the mob desecrated the Chhath Ghat, destroying decorations, damaging the setup, and even defecating at the site, leaving the sacred space defiled and unusable.
This act of insult and desecration was clearly aimed at humiliating the Hindu community, disrupting their faith practice, and asserting dominance through intentional religious provocation.
The pattern visible across these incidents is neither isolated nor spontaneous. The timing, the method, and the targets suggest a deliberate attempt by radicalized Islamist groups to interrupt, belittle, and psychologically unsettle Hindu cultural practices. These attacks occur specifically during moments of collective devotion, when families gather, women observe traditional fasts, and the community expresses its identity publicly. This is not merely vandalism; it is a symbolic assault on cultural confidence and continuity. The intent is to send a message: “Your festivals, your spaces, your traditions can be disrupted whenever we choose.” Such intimidation tactics have been observed globally wherever radical Islamist networks attempt to assert territorial and ideological dominance.
Yet, paradoxically, many of the individuals who enable or justify such disruptions are the same who publicly project themselves as “secular,” “peaceful,” and “victimized.” They demand tolerance, but cannot tolerate the presence of Hindu festivals in public spaces. They speak the language of harmony when it benefits them, and of provocation when they seek control. When Hindus celebrate peacefully, these radical elements inject conflict. When Hindus sing devotional songs, they respond with threats of violence. This duplicitous behavior exposes a terror-influenced mindset, driven not by coexistence but by cultural erasure. It is essential to recognize this reality clearly and firmly; the problem is not community, but ideology; not faith, but radicalization. And any democratic society must confront such extremism with truth, law, and unshakable cultural confidence.
