Chhath Puja 2026 Dates: Nahay Khay to Usha Arghya (13–16 November)
Chhath Puja 2026 runs from Friday, 13 November to Monday, 16 November. The main evening offering to the setting sun (Sandhya Arghya) is on Sunday, 15 November, and the festival ends with the offering to the rising sun (Usha Arghya) on Monday, 16 November.
| Day | Date | Ritual |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Friday, 13 November 2026 | Nahay Khay – holy bath and a single sattvic meal |
| Day 2 | Saturday, 14 November 2026 | Kharna – day-long fast, broken in the evening with kheer; the 36-hour nirjala fast begins |
| Day 3 | Sunday, 15 November 2026 | Sandhya Arghya – offering to the setting sun (main day, Shashthi) |
| Day 4 | Monday, 16 November 2026 | Usha Arghya – offering to the rising sun, followed by parana (breaking the fast) |
Arghya times by city
Arghya is offered at sunset on 15 November and at sunrise on 16 November, so the timing depends on where you are. The times below are calculated sunset and sunrise times (IST), rounded to the minute; devotees usually reach the ghat well before.
| City | Sandhya Arghya – sunset, 15 Nov | Usha Arghya – sunrise, 16 Nov |
|---|---|---|
| Patna | 5:00 PM | 6:07 AM |
| Ranchi | 5:03 PM | 6:03 AM |
| Varanasi | 5:09 PM | 6:15 AM |
| Kolkata | 4:52 PM | 5:49 AM |
| New Delhi | 5:27 PM | 6:44 AM |
| Mumbai | 5:59 PM | 6:46 AM |
Sunrise and sunset calculated astronomically for each city centre; local horizon and ghat conditions can change the moment the sun is actually visible by a minute or two.
What is Chhath Puja?
Chhath is a festival of worship of Surya, the sun god, and of Chhathi Maiya, revered as the goddess who protects children. Its main day falls on the Shashthi (sixth day) of the waxing moon in Kartik, six days after Diwali, which is why it is called Chhath (six).
It is the most important festival of Bihar and is widely observed in Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and the Terai region of Nepal, as well as by families from these regions across India and abroad. It is known for its strict discipline: those keeping the vrat (vratis) fast without water for about 36 hours and offer arghya standing in a river, pond or other water body.
The four days of Chhath
Day 1: Nahay Khay (13 November)
Vratis bathe, preferably in a river, clean the home, and eat one simple sattvic meal cooked without onion or garlic, commonly lauki (bottle gourd), chana dal and rice.
Day 2: Kharna (14 November)
Vratis fast through the day and break it after evening worship with kheer made with jaggery (often called rasiao), roti and fruit, shared with family as prasad. The nirjala fast of about 36 hours begins after this meal.
Day 3: Sandhya Arghya (15 November)
Families prepare prasad such as thekua, rice laddoo and seasonal fruits, and carry them in bamboo baskets (daura and soop) to the ghat. At sunset vratis stand in the water and offer arghya of water or milk to the setting sun while traditional Chhath songs are sung.
Day 4: Usha Arghya and parana (16 November)
Before dawn, devotees return to the ghat and offer arghya to the rising sun. The vratis then break their fast (parana) with prasad and water, and the prasad is shared with family and neighbours.
Chhath puja samagri checklist
- Bamboo soop and daura (baskets)
- Thekua, rice laddoo (kasar) and other homemade prasad
- Sugarcane stalks
- Seasonal fruits such as banana, coconut, citrus (nimbu or gagal), sweet lime, water chestnut (singhara) and sweet potato
- Turmeric and ginger plants
- Diya, ghee, incense and sindoor
- Copper or brass lota for arghya, with milk and water
- New clothes for the vrati, traditionally unstitched for some families
Prasad items and customs vary between families and regions.
Health and the nirjala fast
Fasting without water for about 36 hours is physically demanding. Anyone who is elderly, pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell should consult a doctor; many families allow a modified fast in these cases.
Frequently asked questions
When is Chhath Puja 2026?
From 13 to 16 November 2026, with the main Sandhya Arghya on Sunday, 15 November and Usha Arghya on Monday, 16 November.
What time is Sandhya Arghya on 15 November 2026?
At sunset: about 5:00 PM in Patna, 5:27 PM in New Delhi and 4:52 PM in Kolkata. See the table above for other cities.
Why is Chhath celebrated after Diwali?
Chhath falls on Kartik Shukla Shashthi, six days after Diwali’s new moon. Many families from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh travel home between Diwali and Chhath to celebrate both together.
Related guides
- Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja time
- 5 days of Diwali: Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj
- Hindu festivals in November 2026
- Puja and vrat guides
Sources
- Drik Panchang – Hindu Calendar 2026 (Chhath Puja on 15 November)
- SmartPuja – Chhath Puja 2026 dates (four-day schedule)
- Shubh Panchang – Chhath Puja 2026 (cross-check)
- Sunrise and sunset times calculated with the open-source Astral astronomy library for each city.
