Due to Chhath Puja, the demand for travel from Bihar and Jharkhand has been witnessed to have increased manifold, pushing airfare skyrocketing. For the first time in recent times, Delhi flights to Patna and Darbhanga are more costlier than international trips to destinations such as Dubai or Bangkok as is being witnessed through flights from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Surat this year of Chhath Puja 2024.
The growing demand has sent airfare on the Delhi-Patna route crashing through the roof. Tickets for flights on November 4 and 5 were found to be between ₹10,000 to ₹23,000. Budget airlines IndiGo have sold seats at ₹13,000 to ₹14,000, while Air India prices have mounted a fresh high of over ₹17,000 and ₹23,000 for some flights.
Such a sudden steep increase has made flights to Patna dearer than flights from Delhi to Paris at ₹22,500. Thousands flock to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for the festival where people welcome the Sun God, bonding families.
Flights to Patna are more expensive than flights to Paris
The trains are sold out even at premium prices; no ticket is available due to excessive demand; a travel agent says many are resorting to expensive. It has put a spotlight on the skyrocketing prices. Many posts on X say flying to Patna is now pricier than a ticket to Paris. Frustrating but enough motivation to get home for Chhath.
Luckily, the hike is only a temporary affair. Experts say that airfare will automatically go down to normal after Chhath Puja. Normally, after the peak season travel, airlines cut their prices, thus some relief to the passengers who can afford to wait. Until then, flights to Patna are pretty pricey, yet quite worth it for enthusiasts who want to be a part of this festival.
What is Chhath Puja?
Chhath Puja is a sacred festival devoted to the worship of the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya where blessings for prosperity and well-being are sought. This festival is highly performed with much devotion in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Nepal.
Its idea revolves around purity, gratitude, and a profound attachment to nature. With the festival on its doorstep, knowing the Chhath Puja 2024 timings is very vital in order to perform the rituals at the most propitious moments.
Key Dates and Rituals
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival. It includes:
Nahay Khay (Nov 5): The festival starts with a ritual bath and light food.
Kharna (Nov 6): Fasting without water; devotees break it after sunset by offering.
Sandhya Arghya (Nov 7): The sun is worshipped at the time of sunset.
Usha Arghya (Nov 8): The festival winds up with offerings to the rising sun.
Chhath Puja 2024 Timings
On Drik Panchang, the Shashthi Tithi starts at 12:41 AM on November 7 and ends before 12:34 AM on November 8. The third day of Sandhya Arghya is the offering of arghya during sunset. Here are the sunset times for different cities on November 7:
- New Delhi: 5:32 PM
- Patna: 5:04 PM
- Ranchi: 5:07 PM
- Kolkata: 4:56 PM
- Mumbai: 6:02 PM
- Ahmedabad: 5:58 PM
- Hyderabad: 5:42 PM
- Jaipur: 5:40 PM
- Lucknow: 5:19 PM
- Raipur: 5:24 PM
- Chennai: 5:40 PM
- Chandigarh: 5:30 PM
- Shimla: 5:28 PM
- Bhubaneswar: 5:09 PM
Mythological Significance
The festival is believed to have originated in Hindu mythology. Lord Rama and Sita performed it after their return to Ayodhya. Draupadi carried out rituals when Pandavas were exiled, and Karna, the son of the Sun God, carried out daily sun worship. Such stories raise the stakes of its antiquity and sanctity.
Chhath Puja binds people across regions. Families were seen gathering at rivers and ponds to offer prayers, pointing out a strong bond that the festival shares with nature as well as with much of our cultural heritage.
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