Scramble for space on ghats

PATNA: With the Ganga having been swollen, the space on its banks has shrunk and there is virtually a scramble among Chhath devotees for space on the ghats.

"Last year the river was flowing at least 100 meters away from its bank," said Arvind Kumar of Baaskothi Ghat in Digha. Pointing towards the second pillar of the Digha-Sonepur road-rail bridge coming up nearby, he said last year the river water had reached only up to the second pillar. "This time, the river water has topped an area of 100 additional metres from the pillar towards the bank," he said.

Not surprisingly, the devotees who used to pour in during the evening hours on `Kharna' day every year, started thronging the ghats since early morning this year to block space. "There are just a few ghats where vehicles can go up to the banks. All these ghats have already been blocked," said Rajeev Kumar, a government official who lives in Raja Bazaar area. Kumar this year has had to remain content with a space on a ghat where his car cannot reach.

Bamboo sticks are there inside the river, indicating the danger mark to the devotees offering `arghya' to Sungod. "Up to the bamboo sticks, the water is just waist deep, and safe. However, it will be difficult to control the sea of humanity," said Brindawan Yadav, another resident of the area.

Despite the state government's warning about the Ganga ghats not being safe due to the rise in water level, a large number of the devotees have opted to offer their prayers from the banks of Ganga. At several places, sandbags have been lined up on the marshy land on the bank to serve as a road to the river. "However, it's doubtful that these sandbags will be able to withstand the weight of the crowd on Saturday evening," said Yadav.

The entire road along the Ganga from Patna to Danapur is decked up with lights, pandals and welcome arches dotting the stretch. Loudspeakers are blaring Chhath songs.

Meanwhile, former Patna MP Ram Kripal Yadav ridiculed chief minister Nitish Kumar and deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi for extending greetings to Chhath devotees when the government has failed to provide civic amenities to the devotees. He said the Patna Municipal Corporation employees, who play a key role in keeping the city clean, have not been paid their salaries.

The RJD leader alleged the government did not construct a single ghat during the last four years and is now spending huge funds on digging temporary ponds for Chhath devotees.