Dubai is home to many Indian expats. And the celebration of Indian festivals is a common phenomenon observed in UAE. But whereas festivals like Diwali and Holi are celebrated at the expanse, Chhath Puja has never been marked openly. A Dubai resident hailing from Bihar started this ceremony in 2015 with 5 members of his family. It gradually increased with many expats from the same native joining him.
Chhath Puja At Palm Jumeirah Beach
Chhath Puja Celebration in Dubai #ChhathPuja #culture @Bihar_se_hai pic.twitter.com/nXre3LsxS8
— RAJIV RANJAN🇮🇳🇦🇪 (@ranjanrajiv1993) October 30, 2022
Pramod Singh started the trend of celebrating this festival in the UAE. The story goes like this. Pramod’s mother visited him during his daughter’s birth in 2015. She showed her desire to celebrate the Chhath Puja festival in Dubai during that span. So to complete his mother’s wish, Pramod planned to perform the rituals with 5 family members at Jumeirah open beach.
Since then, many people joined the celebration. Today this festival is celebrated across multiple beaches of Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. Pramod went on to become the Founding member of ‘Bhojpura Samaj’ in Dubai which arranges this festive event in UAE every year.
Also Read: 5 Traditional Foods To Relish On This Chhath Puja
Nabin Kumar Celebrated This Festival In Abu Dhabi
Another active Indian expat took a similar initiative in 2017 in Abu Dhabi. Since then he has been organising Chhath Puja in Abu Dhabi every year. The venue selected is Mamzar beach to perform the rituals. Nabin expects more than 300 people to gather to celebrate this important festival at Mamzar this year.
So if you are missing Chhath Puja staying in UAE, you can visit these beaches to celebrate.
Cover Image Courtesy: Rajiv Ranjan(Twitter)