Deo Sun Temple Prepares for Chhath Puja Pilgrimage Surge

As the sacred Chhath Puja festival approaches, the millennium-old Deo Surya Mandir in Aurangabad is preparing to welcome a massive influx of devotees. The temple, revered as the birthplace of the Chhath tradition, is expected to host nearly 15 lakh pilgrims this year.

The local administration has assured that elaborate arrangements have been put in place to ensure the safety and convenience of the devotees. This includes robust crowd management, comprehensive sanitation drives, and the deployment of police forces, magistrates, and members of the Scouts and Guides. Special disaster management teams have also been stationed at the sacred Surya Kund and Rudra Kund, where devotees will offer Arghya to the setting and rising Sun.

At the heart of the celebrations stands the ancient Deo Sun Temple, a stunning exemplar of early north Indian temple architecture. Mythological accounts trace its origin to Ila's son Pururava, while historical records indicate that King Bhairavendra restored it in the 14th century. The temple's grandeur has even been captured in the 18th-century "Daniell Paintings", which documented India's architectural marvels.

Local historians have noted that the tradition of Surya worship in Deo predates the temple by centuries, with poet Mayura Bhatta, a contemporary of Emperor Harshavardhana, mentioning it in his composition Surya Shataka. Over time, the Vedic Sun-worship tradition merged with local folk elements, giving rise to the Chhath festival, one of Bihar and eastern India's most significant celebrations of faith.