Chhath Puja is a demanding four-day fast in honour of the Sun god (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya. In 2026 it runs from 13 November (Nahay Khay) to 16 November (Usha Arghya), with the main evening arghya on Sunday, 15 November. It is celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and the Nepal Terai, and by families from these regions all over the world. Below are the Chhath puja vidhi, the dates of all four days, city-wise arghya times, samagri and rules.
Chhath Puja 2026: dates of all four days
| Day | Date | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 — Nahay Khay | Friday, 13 November | Holy bath, then a sattvik meal — kaddu-bhaat and chana dal |
| Day 2 — Kharna (Lohanda) | Saturday, 14 November | Day-long fast; jaggery kheer (rasiyav) and roti in the evening; then a 36-hour fast without water |
| Day 3 — Sandhya Arghya | Sunday, 15 November | Shashthi — arghya to the setting Sun |
| Day 4 — Usha Arghya | Monday, 16 November | Arghya to the rising Sun and breaking the fast (parana) |
Shashthi tithi runs from 11:25 PM on 14 November to 2:02 AM on 16 November, so the evening arghya is on 15 November. These dates come from our Panchang engine and match the major panchangs.
Chhath Puja 2026: arghya time (sunset and sunrise)
| City | Sandhya Arghya — 15 Nov (sunset) | Usha Arghya — 16 Nov (sunrise) |
|---|---|---|
| Patna | 5:00 PM | 6:07 AM |
| Varanasi | 5:10 PM | 6:15 AM |
| Lucknow | 5:15 PM | 6:26 AM |
| Kolkata | 4:52 PM | 5:49 AM |
| Delhi | 5:27 PM | 6:44 AM |
| Mumbai | 6:00 PM | 6:46 AM |
| London (local time) | 4:11 PM | 7:20 AM |
| New York (local time) | 4:37 PM | 6:44 AM |
The evening arghya is offered as the Sun sets and the morning arghya as it rises, so reach the ghat early. For other cities, change the city in Today’s Panchang.
Chhath puja samagri
- Bamboo soop and daura (baskets) — one or more per vrati
- Thekua (a prasad of wheat flour, jaggery and ghee) and rice laddoos (kasar)
- Sugarcane, water coconut, bananas, gagal (a large citron), sweet potato, water chestnut, radish and seasonal fruit
- Turmeric, ginger and arbi plants with leaves
- Milk and water for arghya, in a copper or brass lota
- Ghee lamps, sindoor, rice, flowers, incense and new clothes for the vrati
Chhath puja vidhi — all four days
Day 1: Nahay Khay (13 November)
The vratis bathe in a river, pond or at home, the house is cleaned, and a sattvik meal cooked with rock salt — bottle gourd, chana dal and rice — is eaten. From this day onion and garlic are not used at home.
Day 2: Kharna (14 November)
The vratis fast all day without water. In the evening, jaggery kheer (rasiyav) and roti are cooked on a clay stove with mango wood, offered to Chhathi Maiya, eaten by the vratis and shared with the family. Then the 36-hour waterless fast begins.
Day 3: Sandhya Arghya (15 November)
Thekua and other prasad are prepared during the day. In the afternoon the family carries the soop and daura filled with prasad and fruit to the ghat. Standing in the water, the vratis offer milk and water to the setting Sun while Chhath songs are sung. Many families fill the kosi at night — lamps lit within a frame of sugarcane.
Day 4: Usha Arghya and parana (16 November)
Before dawn the family returns to the ghat and the vratis offer arghya to the rising Sun. After praying to Chhathi Maiya for the family’s wellbeing, prasad is shared and the vratis break the fast (parana) with ginger, jaggery and water.
Rules of the Chhath fast
- Only sattvik food is cooked at home for all four days — no onion, garlic or meat.
- Complete purity is kept while making prasad — new or separate utensils and a clean place.
- The vratis sleep on a mat on the floor.
- During arghya the soop is raised up to the head and offered towards the Sun.
- If you are unwell, pregnant or elderly, consult a doctor before a waterless fast; another family member can also keep the fast.
Meaning and story of Chhath
Chhath honours the Sun god, the giver of life, energy and health, and Chhathi Maiya, worshipped as the protector of children. Tradition links the fast to both epics — Mata Sita is said to have worshipped the Sun after returning to Ayodhya, Draupadi did so in the Mahabharata, and Karna, the son of Surya, offered arghya to the Sun every day standing in water. It is the only festival in which both the setting and the rising Sun receive arghya. Chhath is also observed once in the month of Chaitra (Chaiti Chhath).
Learn more on Wikipedia and find all upcoming fasts in our Vrat Calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When is Chhath Puja in 2026?
It begins with Nahay Khay on 13 November and ends with Usha Arghya on 16 November. The main evening arghya is on Sunday, 15 November.
What is the Sandhya Arghya time in 2026?
At sunset on 15 November — 5:00 PM in Patna, 5:27 PM in Delhi and 4:52 PM in Kolkata.
When is Kharna and what is cooked?
Kharna is on 14 November. Jaggery kheer (rasiyav) and roti are cooked in the evening; after eating them the vratis begin the 36-hour waterless fast.
When is the Chhath fast broken?
On 16 November after the arghya to the rising Sun — sunrise in Patna is at 6:07 AM.
