Why Chhath Puja Has No Idols or Priests: The Sun-Worship Ritual That's Different From Every Other Festival

One of the most distinctive aspects of Chhath Puja is that its central rituals do not require an idol, temple or priest. Unlike many Hindu festivals where devotees worship a physical representation of a deity and priests conduct specific ceremonies, Chhath follows a direct form of worship.

Devotees offer Arghya (water offerings) to the Sun God, Surya Dev, with folded hands while standing in a river, pond or other water body. The prayers are performed by the devotees themselves, without requiring a priest to mediate between them and the deity.

The reason lies in the central belief behind Chhath: the Sun is a visible source of life, energy and nourishment. Rather than worshipping a symbolic representation of the deity, devotees offer prayers directly to the natural source that sustains life on Earth.


This does not mean that Chhath Puja prohibits priests or idol worship. Rather, neither is essential to its traditional observance. The devotee's personal discipline, purity and devotion form the foundation of the rituals.

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Why Is the Sun Worshipped Directly During Chhath Puja?

The Sun holds a special place in Hindu religious traditions because it is regarded as the source of light, warmth and life. It supports agriculture, helps plants grow and makes life possible on Earth.

Chhath Puja takes this reverence a step further by making the Sun itself the centre of worship.

The festival is dedicated to Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya, with devotees seeking blessings for health, prosperity, longevity and the well-being of their families. The Sun is worshipped as a life-giving force, while Chhathi Maiya is revered as a protective divine mother associated with the observance.

The connection with nature is also visible in the offerings. Seasonal fruits, sugarcane, coconut, thekua and other traditional prasad are arranged in bamboo baskets called soops. These offerings reflect gratitude towards nature and the resources that sustain human life.

The ritual does not depend on expensive materials or elaborate decorations. Its emphasis remains on cleanliness, simplicity, fasting and sincere devotion.

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Why Do Devotees Worship Both the Setting and Rising Sun?

Another unusual feature of Chhath Puja is that devotees offer prayers to the setting Sun first and the rising Sun the following morning.

On the third day, devotees gather at riverbanks and other water bodies to perform Sandhya Arghya, offering prayers to the setting Sun. Before sunrise the next day, they return for Usha Arghya, worshipping the Sun as it appears on the horizon.

This practice carries a deeper symbolic meaning.

The evening offering expresses gratitude towards the Sun for the energy and nourishment it has provided throughout the day. Worshipping the rising Sun represents hope, renewal and the beginning of another cycle of life.

Together, these rituals acknowledge both the completion of one cycle and the promise of a new beginning. They also convey the belief that sunset is not an end but a natural transition before sunrise.

The worship of both phases makes Chhath Puja particularly distinctive among Hindu festivals dedicated to the Sun.

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What Is the Role of Water in Chhath Puja?

Water is not simply the location where Chhath rituals take place. It has an important place in the festival's spiritual and traditional practices.

Devotees stand in rivers, ponds or other water bodies while offering Arghya to the Sun. The first day, Nahay Khay, also begins with ritual bathing, which marks purification before the observance.

Standing in water while offering prayers is traditionally associated with purity, discipline and devotion. It also creates a direct connection between two essential elements of nature: water and sunlight.

Both are necessary for life, agriculture and the survival of living beings. Their presence together during Chhath Puja reflects the festival's emphasis on gratitude towards nature.

This is also why cleanliness is particularly important. Devotees and community members clean their homes, prepare prasad in hygienic surroundings and organise the ghats before the main offerings.

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Why Is Chhathi Maiya Worshipped Without an Idol?

Although Surya Dev is the central deity of Chhath Puja, Chhathi Maiya also holds an important place in the festival.

Chhathi Maiya is traditionally associated with Goddess Shashthi and is revered as a protective mother who blesses children and safeguards families. Devotees seek her blessings for the health, longevity and prosperity of their loved ones.

However, her worship during Chhath does not necessarily involve a separate idol or elaborate temple ceremony.

Instead, her presence is honoured through traditional prayers, folk songs, offerings and the observance of the Chhath vrat. Devotees express their faith through fasting, maintaining ritual purity and following the prescribed practices throughout the four days.

This reflects the broader nature of Chhath Puja, where devotion is expressed through personal observance and a connection with nature rather than dependence on physical representations of deities.

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Does Chhath Puja Require Mantras or a Pandit?

No. A priest or a prescribed priest-led ceremony is not essential for performing the traditional Chhath Puja rituals.

The person observing the vrat, known as the Vrati, performs the main offerings and prayers. Family members and other devotees assist with preparing prasad, carrying the soop and offering Arghya.

Traditional Chhath songs also play an important role. These songs describe the devotion of the Vratis, the significance of Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya, and the cultural traditions associated with the festival.

The emphasis is on maintaining cleanliness, observing the fast, preparing offerings with care and performing the evening and morning Arghya with devotion.

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What Makes Chhath Puja Different From Other Hindu Festivals?

Chhath Puja stands apart because its central observance is built around direct worship of nature and personal discipline.

While many Hindu festivals include temple visits, idol worship, elaborate decorations and priest-led rituals, Chhath places the devotee directly in front of the Sun.

Its distinctive features include:

• No compulsory idol worship: The Sun is worshipped directly as a visible, life-giving force rather than through an installed idol.
• No compulsory priest: Devotees perform the main rituals themselves, without requiring a priest to conduct the offerings.
• Worship of the setting Sun: Devotees offer Sandhya Arghya before worshipping the rising Sun the next morning.
• Strict personal discipline: Fasting, ritual bathing, cleanliness and carefully prepared prasad are central to the observance.
• Nature-based offerings: Seasonal fruits, sugarcane, thekua and other traditional food items are offered to the deities.
• Community participation: People from different backgrounds come together to prepare and clean the ghats, arrange offerings and support the Vratis.

These practices make Chhath more than a festival of prayers. It is also an expression of gratitude towards nature, self-discipline, equality and collective participation.

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The Deeper Meaning Behind Chhath Puja's Idol-Free Worship

The absence of compulsory idols and priests in Chhath Puja does not make the festival less elaborate or spiritually significant. Instead, it highlights a different approach to devotion.

The devotee does not need to enter a temple or depend on an intermediary to offer prayers. The Sun, water and natural surroundings become the setting for worship, while fasting and personal discipline become expressions of faith.

Perhaps the most meaningful aspect of this tradition is its message of equality. The Sun shines on everyone, regardless of wealth or social background, and the traditional Chhath rituals follow the same basic principles for all devotees.

That is what makes Chhath Puja distinctive: its devotion is expressed not through elaborate displays but through simplicity, discipline, gratitude and a direct connection with the natural world.

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