Lucknow, Oct. 26 -- Chhath Puja festivities in the city began with Nahay-Khay ritual on Saturday. Several women who fast as part of the festivities woke up at dawn, cleaned their house, washed their hair and cooked satwik meals consisting of gourd and lentils. This year, the main day of the puja, the evening Arghya, will be celebrated on Monday. The four-day festival is dedicated to the solar deity Surya and his sister Chhati Maiyya or Shashti Devi. Elaborate preparation, including shopping for fruits, vegetables, bamboo winnow (soop), cleaning of rice and wheat used for making items for puja and making of Vedis (a platform of clay and bricks on which the offerings are kept at the time of puja). Sheela Devi, 45, who turned up to make a Vedi at Laxman Mela Ground, said that she began performing the puja about 13 years back. "I had wished that my husband would get stable employment. My wish was granted within a course of one year and as a mark of gratitude towards Chhati Maiyya I began performing the puja. Today, I feel blessed that not just my husband but also my sons are doing well in their professions. I completed most of my preparations before Diwali but I finished the remaining today," said Devi. Rita Pandey, 52, and her daughter Shilpa, 37, also made Vedis at Laxman Mela Ground. "Today, I had a busy day managing my job and the preparations for the festival. My mother rose early, cleaned the house, washed her head and bought vegetables and fruits for the day of Puja," said Pandey. Heera Chauhan, 50, who wished to get her house constructed in the city about 15 years back, said that she decorated her Vedi in the hues of yellow. "My sister-in-law and I prepared for the festival together. I was inspired by her to begin the puja," said Chauhan. The second day will be celebrated as Kharna where women will fast without water from the sunrise to the sunset. The fast will end after sunset with a Satwik meal sans garlic and onion after which, a 36-hour fast will be observed by them....