A Pause for Piety: Motorman Stops Train for Chhath Prasad, Wins Hearts Online

In a truly heartwarming demonstration of faith and community spirit, a passenger train motorman in Bihar has become an overnight sensation after a video of him halting the train to receive ‘Chhath Prasad’ went viral across social media platforms. The incident, which unfolded near a location widely believed to be the Jagjivan Halt close to the Ara (Bhojpur) railway station in Bihar, has captivated millions and highlighted the deep-rooted cultural significance of the Chhath Puja festival.

An Unscheduled Stop for Auspicious Offering

The short, yet powerful, video clip shows a passenger train stopped on the railway track, adjacent to a water body where a large crowd of devotees had gathered to perform the Suryodarghya (morning offering to the Sun God), a final ritual of the four-day-long Chhath Puja. As the train came to a standstill, a local devotee, holding a plate laden with the sacred ‘prasad’—which typically includes thekua and seasonal fruits—walked directly toward the locomotive.

The motorman, leaning out of his cabin window, graciously accepted the offering. This simple, spontaneous exchange, captured by an onlooker, beautifully encapsulated the core values of the festival: devotion, inclusiveness, and shared blessing.

The Power of Online Appreciation

The video quickly gained traction online, with users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram sharing it widely, accompanied by appreciative comments. Netizens applauded the motorman’s thoughtful gesture, viewing it as a beautiful testament to the power of human connection and faith transcending the rigid schedules of everyday life, including those of the vast Indian Railways network.

One user reportedly commented, “This is the true spirit of India,” while another praised the “beauty of Bihar,” where such displays of religious fervor and communal respect are commonplace during the Chhath festival. The act, although a momentary deviation from the timetable, was perceived not as a lapse in duty, but as a moment of grace—an unscheduled stop for an auspicious blessing that resonated with the collective sentiment of the season. The gesture offered a moment of quiet reflection for the train crew amidst the hectic travel rush associated with one of the most significant festivals in the region.