India, Nov. 13 -- Nalini Ranjan

An extraordinary celebration of devotion, discipline, nature and community, Chhath is not merely a religious festival for Purvanchalis but an inseparable part of their cultural identity and emotional connection with their roots.

As the sun descends towards the horizon, riverbanks, ponds and other water bodies come alive with an extraordinary spectacle of faith. Thousands of devotees, dressed in traditional attire, stand in waist-deep water with bamboo baskets filled with fruits, sugarcane, coconuts and homemade offerings. Devotional songs fill the air, earthen lamps illuminate the surroundings, and folded hands rise in prayer towards the setting sun. This is Chhath, one of India's most distinctive festiva...