What are the exact dates for Chhath Puja in 2026?

Chhath Puja 2026 runs from Friday, November 13 to Monday, November 16, 2026. The main evening Arghya is on Sunday, November 15, and the morning Arghya is on Monday, November 16.

Why is the setting sun worshipped first during Chhath Puja?

Worshipping the setting sun acknowledges that sunset is an inseparable part of life's cosmic cycle. It symbolizes humility, gratitude for the day that has ended, and faith in the dawn that is to follow.

What is Thekua and why is it so important for Chhath?

Thekua is a sacred cookie made of whole wheat flour, desi ghee, and jaggery, spiced with fennel and dried coconut. It is considered the chief Mahaprasad offered to Chhathi Maiya and Lord Surya.

What are the four days of Chhath Puja called?

The four days are: Day 1 - Nahay Khay (cleansing), Day 2 - Kharna (fasting & evening sweet meal), Day 3 - Sandhya Arghya (sunset offering), Day 4 - Usha Arghya & Paran (sunrise offering & breaking fast).

How long is the fast in Chhath Puja?

The fast of Chhath Puja is one of the most rigorous in the world, lasting nearly 36 continuous hours without even a single drop of water (Nirjala Vrata), starting from Kharna evening until Monday sunrise.

Is Chhath Puja an official holiday in Kolkata and West Bengal?

Yes, the Government of West Bengal has declared Chhath Puja as an official gazetted state holiday, with special preparations across all Hooghly ghats.

Who is Chhathi Maiya?

Chhathi Maiya is Goddess Shasthi, the sixth form of divine mother Prakriti and sister of Surya Dev. She is the divine protectress of children, lineage, and family prosperity.

Chhath Puja 2026(ছট পূজা ২০২৬)

Surya Sasthi / Dala Chhath • সূর্য ষষ্ঠী1433 Bengali Panjika • Verified Dates & Timings

Chhath Puja 2026 — river bank Arghya offering to setting sun

Looking for calendar views and tithis?

Read more about the exact tithi timings and planetary alignments in our comprehensive November 2026 Calendar.

View November Calendar →

About Chhath Puja (Surya Sasthi / Dala Chhath)

উৎসব পরিচিতি

Chhath Puja 2026 (ছট পূজা ২০২৬), also widely celebrated as Surya Sasthi, Dala Chhath, or Chhathi Maiya Vrata, is an ancient, rigorous four-day Vedic festival taking place from Friday, November 13 to Monday, November 16, 2026 (the main evening Arghya falls on Sunday, November 15, 2026, corresponding to 30 Kartik 1433 Bangabda in the Bengali Panjika). It is widely observed across Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and across the ghats of the Hooghly River in Kolkata, Howrah, Barrackpore, and Asansol.

Chhath is unique in the entire Hindu pantheon because it is the only festival that worships the Sun God (Surya Bhagavan) as a visible and living deity (Pratyaksha Devata) alongside his sister Chhathi Maiya (Shasthi Devi, the divine protector of children and prosperity). Furthermore, uniquely in human tradition, devotees offer their first worship not to the rising sun, but to the setting sun (Sandhya Arghya), acknowledging that the setting sun is as worthy of veneration as the rising sun.

The four-day observance begins with Nahay Khay (holy dip and pure vegetarian meal of bottle gourd and rice), followed by Kharna (a full-day waterless fast broken in the evening with Rasiya kheer cooked on mango-wood fires). On the third day, devotees carry beautifully woven bamboo trays (Soop and Dala) piled high with freshly pressed Thekua, seasonal sugarcane stalks, pomelo, and whole coconuts to the riverbanks, standing waist-deep in water to make sacred offerings.

History:

The historical roots of Chhath Puja trace back directly to the Vedic era and the great epic Mahabharata:

King Priyavrata and Devi Shasthi: The Devi Bhagavata Purana mentions that King Priyavrata and Queen Malini were childless for decades. Sage Kashyapa performed a Putrakameshti Yajna, but the son was born lifeless. As the grief-stricken king prepared to end his life, Goddess Shasthi (Chhathi Maiya, the daughter of Brahma) appeared, revitalized the child, and commanded that she be worshipped on the sixth day of Kartik. The king observed the vrata, and his lineage flourished.

Draupadi and the Pandavas: In the Mahabharata, during their twelve-year exile in the forest, Yudhisthira and Draupadi were distressed because they could not adequately feed the thousands of rishis following them. On the counsel of Sage Dhaumya, Draupadi performed the rigorous Chhath Vrata worshipping Lord Surya. Pleased with her unyielding devotion, Surya granted them the miraculous Akshaya Patra, an inexhaustible vessel that provided endless food until Draupadi herself had eaten.

Karna's Daily Arghya: Legend also attributes the tradition to Karna, the legendary warrior king of Anga (modern Bhagalpur/Munger) and the son of Surya, who famously stood waist-deep in the Ganga each day to offer water to his divine father and distribute wealth among the poor.

Auspicious 4-Day Calendar & Timings 2026:

Day 1: Nahay Khay — Friday, November 13, 2026 (বাংলা ২৮ কার্তিক ১৪৩৩)
Holy river bath and Sattvik meal of rice, chana dal, and bottle gourd (kaddu-bhat).
Day 2: Kharna — Saturday, November 14, 2026 (বাংলা ২৯ কার্তিক ১৪৩৩)
Full-day waterless fast. Evening feast of Rasiya kheer and roti cooked on earthen Chulha.
Day 3: Sandhya Arghya (Main Sunset Offering) — Sunday, November 15, 2026 (বাংলা ৩০ কার্তিক ১৪৩৩)
Sunset time in Kolkata: Approx 04:54 PM IST. Standing in river water to offer arghya.
Day 4: Usha Arghya & Paran (Sunrise Offering) — Monday, November 16, 2026 (বাংলা ১ অগ্রহায়ণ ১৪৩৩)
Sunrise time in Kolkata: Approx 05:51 AM IST. Concluding the 36-hour fast.
Public Holiday Status: Gazetted Public Holiday across West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand.

Purity and Environmental Philosophy:

Chhath is regarded as the most ecologically pure festival in the world. It utilizes biodegradable materials exclusively—bamboo baskets, sugarcane, clay lamps, earthen hearths, and raw fruits—leaving zero plastic footprints while sanctifying natural water bodies.

Rituals & How to Celebrate

Nahay Khay (Purification & Kaddu Bhat) — Devotees bathe in the sacred river or fresh water, cleanse their homes, and prepare an unseasoned pure vegetarian feast of bottle gourd (kaddu) and boiled rice.

Kharna (Day-long Nirjala Fast & Rasiya) — Observing an absolute waterless fast from dawn to dusk, breaking it silently after sunset with homemade Rasiya kheer (rice cooked in milk and sugarcane jaggery).

Making the Sacred Thekua — Preparing holy Thekua by kneading whole wheat flour, ghee, dry fruits, and molten jaggery, shaped onto wooden carved moulds and deep-fried on wood fires.

Arranging the Bamboo Soop & Daura — Arranging offerings on traditional bamboo winnowing trays (soop), including whole sugarcane stalks, raw turmeric, ginger, sweet potatoes, and coconuts.

Sanjhiya Arghya (Sunset Water Vigil) — Walking barefoot to the river ghat in vibrant procession, standing chest-deep in running water, and offering milk and holy water to the setting sun.

Bihaniya Arghya & Paran (Dawn Offering) — Returning to the river ghat before daybreak to offer oblations to the first rays of the rising sun, followed by touching the feet of elders and distributing prasad.

Traditional Foods & Bhog

Traditional Thekua — Crispy, fragrant whole-wheat biscuits deep-fried in desi ghee with coarse jaggery, fennel seeds (saunf), and crushed dry coconut.

Rasiya (Gur Ki Kheer) — Rich, creamy rice pudding slow-simmered in earthen pots using pure milk and freshly crushed sugarcane jaggery for Kharna evening.

Kaddu Bhat & Chana Dal — Sattvik stewed bottle gourd curry simmered with rock salt, turmeric, and whole cumin paired with aromatic steamed rice.

Kasar Ladoo — Nutritious uncooked roundels made by rolling coarse rice flour, jaggery syrup, and crushed fennel seeds with a dash of pure ghee.

Fresh Sugarcane & Seasonal Roots — Whole purple sugarcane stalks, sweet potatoes, raw ginger rhizomes, and whole turmeric bulbs offered fresh.

Dabh / Pomelo & Coconut — Whole water-filled green coconuts and giant tangy pomelos (Batabi Lebu) gifted as wholesome sun prasad.