Chhath Puja 2026 Date: 4-day calendar, rituals, puja samagri, significance and arghya timings

Chhath Puja 2026 will be observed over four days from November 13 to November 16, with devotees offering prayers to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya for the well-being, prosperity and longevity of their families. The festival will culminate on November 16 with Usha Arghya, the offering of prayers to the rising Sun, followed by the breaking of the fast.

The ancient Hindu festival is dedicated to Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya, also associated with Goddess Usha. It is observed particularly across Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Nepal's Terai region, as well as by Indian communities living elsewhere.

Unlike many Hindu festivals, Chhath Puja does not involve idol worship or the participation of priests. Devotees worship the setting and rising Sun directly, often standing in rivers, ponds or other water bodies while offering Arghya. The four-day observance involves ritual bathing, dietary restrictions, fasting and the preparation of traditional offerings.


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Chhath Puja 2026: Four-day calendar and dates

According to the Chhath calendar published by Drik Panchang, the festival will be observed from Friday, November 13, to Monday, November 16.

Day and ritual	Date	Significance and observance
Day 1: Nahay Khay	Friday, November 13, 2026	Devotees take a ritual bath, clean their homes and prepare a simple, pure vegetarian meal. Bottle gourd and rice are among the traditional foods.
Day 2: Lohanda and Kharna	Saturday, November 14, 2026	Devotees observe a fast through the day and break it after sunset with offerings such as jaggery kheer and roti or puri. A strict waterless fast of around 36 hours begins after this ritual.
Day 3: Sandhya Arghya	Sunday, November 15, 2026	Devotees gather at riverbanks and ponds with baskets of offerings and offer Arghya to the setting Sun.
Day 4: Usha Arghya and Parana	Monday, November 16, 2026	The final Arghya is offered to the rising Sun. Devotees then conclude the fast through Parana.

Chhath Puja 2026: Sunrise and sunset timings

The following timings are for New Delhi and may vary by location.

Ritual	Date	Approximate timing
Sunrise on Nahay Khay	November 13	6:42 am
Sunset on Kharna	November 14	After sunset
Sunset Arghya	November 15	5:28 pm
Sunrise Arghya	November 16	6:44 am

Devotees should check the local Panchang for timings in their city, particularly for Sandhya Arghya and Usha Arghya.

Chhath Puja rituals: What happens during the four days?

The festival begins with Nahay Khay, when devotees bathe, clean their homes and prepare food according to the ritual requirements. Kharna follows on the second day, when the fast is broken after sunset with a traditional meal. This is followed by the more rigorous period of fasting without water.

Sandhya Arghya, observed on the third day, is the main public ritual. Devotees carry offerings in bamboo baskets to rivers, ponds and other water bodies, where they stand in the water and pray to the setting Sun.

The festival concludes the next morning with Usha Arghya. Devotees offer water and prayers to the rising Sun before ending their fast through Parana.

Chhath Puja 2026: Puja samagri and traditional offerings

Preparations for Chhath involve a range of natural and traditional offerings. These are commonly arranged in bamboo winnowing trays called soop and larger baskets known as daura.

The main items include:

• Traditional prasad: Thekua, a wheat-and-jaggery sweet, and rice laddoos known as kasar.
• Fruits: Bananas, sweet lime, coconut, apples, oranges and water chestnuts.
• Seasonal offerings: Sugarcane stalks with leaves, ginger and turmeric plants with their roots.
• Puja essentials: Earthen lamps, ghee, cotton wicks, incense sticks, vermilion, sandalwood paste, betel leaves and betel nuts.
• Arghya offerings: Raw milk and water, offered to the setting and rising Sun.

Why is Chhath Puja celebrated?

Chhath Puja is observed as an expression of gratitude to the Sun, which is regarded as the source of light, energy and life. Devotees pray for health, prosperity and the well-being of their families.

Chhathi Maiya is worshipped as a protective deity associated with children's welfare, fertility and longevity. The festival's strict observances, including fasting, ritual bathing and prayers at sunrise and sunset, are also regarded by devotees as a form of spiritual discipline and purification.

Chhath Puja in the Ramayana and Mahabharata

The festival is associated with stories from Hindu mythology. According to one tradition linked to the Ramayana, Lord Rama and Goddess Sita observed a fast and offered prayers to the Sun God on the sixth day of the month of Kartika after returning to Ayodhya from their 14-year exile.

The Mahabharata tradition connects Chhath with Karna, the son of Surya Dev, who is believed to have offered daily prayers to the Sun while standing in water. Another account associates the ritual with Draupadi and the Pandavas, who are said to have observed it while seeking relief from hardship and the restoration of their kingdom.