Patna, Nov. 5 : Rashtriya Janata Dal President and Union Minister for Railways Lalu Prasad Yadav along with his family here today offered prayers to the Sun God on the last day of Chatth Puja, the poplar festival of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Chatth Puja is performed with utmost religious fervour, for three successive days after a week-long gap from Diwali, the festival of lights.

Lalu Prasad along with his wife Rabri Devi and children celebrated the Chatth at his residence here.

Terming the fasts that the devotees observe for two days of Chhath Puja as difficult, Lalu expressed happiness at the festival being performed with great fanfare across the country.

"Chatth Puja has come to an end with the final Arghya (ritual offering) to Sun God. Pure water of River Ganga and cow''s milk with fruits and flowers have been offered to the Sun. This auspicious festival celebrated by the people with great enthusiasm all over the land and it is a difficult fast to follow. The women will worship and after that Prasad will be distributed. We have wished for the peace, prosperity, amity and brotherhood in the country," said Lalu Prasad.

Alongside, other devout people in across Bihar also hailed the festival, significant for married women who observe a two-day fast and offer prayers standing waist-deep in water for at least two hours and offer fruits and flowers to Surya, the Sun God.

"This is the festival of worship of Sun God which we celebrate for the prosperity of our family. We observe fast during Chatth Puja praying to Sun God to usher prosperity in our family and in country," said Sunita Devi, a devotee.

Chhath is celebrated to thank Sun God for bestowing the bounties of life and other assets on the Earth.

Devotees take bath at Ghats or riverbanks and pay obeisance to both the rising and the setting sun during the festival, which is celebrated on the sixth and seventh day after Diwali.

Dancing to the tunes of the devotional hymns and songs, people offer fruits and flowers to please the Sun God. (ANI)