Chhath Puja 2025: Worship of the Sun God

Day 1 — Nahay Khay (Bath and Eat)

Devotees take a holy bath in a river and bring home sacred water. They eat a single meal of chana dal, bottle gourd, and rice cooked in pure ghee on an earthen stove. From this point, the household is kept meticulously clean and family members observe a restricted diet.

Day 2 — Kharna (The Long Fast)

Devotees observe a full-day fast without water. After sunset, prasad is prepared — kheer (rice pudding with jaggery) cooked on earthen stoves using mango wood. The Vratin eats a small amount after offering it to the Sun, then distributes to family and neighbours. A 36-hour waterless fast now begins.

Day 3 — Sandhya Arghya (Evening Offering to the Setting Sun)

Vratin carry bamboo baskets filled with seasonal fruits, sugarcane, wheat bread (thekua), and prasad to the riverbank. At sunset, standing in the water, they offer arghya (water from a brass vessel) to the setting sun, accompanied by devotional Chhath songs. This is the most visually spectacular evening of the festival.

Day 4 — Usha Arghya (Sunrise Offering)

Before dawn, devotees return to the water for the final offering to the rising sun — Usha Arghya. Standing in the water through the night, they greet the first rays of sunrise with water offerings. The 36-hour fast ends when the Vratin drinks prasad water. The festival closes with distribution of prasad.

What makes Chhath Puja unique among Hindu festivals?

Chhath Puja is one of the most distinctive Hindu festivals for several reasons. There are no priests — devotees (Vratin) worship Surya directly, without ritual intermediaries, standing waist-deep in river water. It is among Hinduism's most physically demanding festivals, involving a 36-hour waterless fast and two consecutive nights at the riverbank. The worship is offered to both the setting sun (evening of day 3) and the rising sun (dawn of day 4) — unusual in Indian religion, where the setting sun is often considered inauspicious. Chhath is also notable for its gender dimension: it is primarily observed by women as Vratin, making it one of India's most prominent woman-led religious observances.

Where is Chhath Puja celebrated outside Bihar?

Chhath Puja originated in Bihar and neighbouring regions of Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and the Terai of Nepal. Through migration, it has become one of India's most widely dispersed festivals. Large Chhath celebrations are now held in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru, as well as in Indian diaspora communities across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and the Gulf countries. In Nepal, Chhath is a public holiday and observed with the same intensity as in Bihar. Riverfronts, lakes, and even temporary water bodies are used where natural rivers are unavailable. The festival has transformed from a regional observance into a major pan-Indian and global diaspora celebration.