Chhath Puja 2026: Four-Day Calendar, Sandhya & Usha Arghya Timings, Vidhi and Diaspora Guide
Your complete guide to Chhath Puja 2026 — the four-day calendar, the sunset and sunrise Arghya, the puja vidhi, regional variations and a practical diaspora playbook.
Your complete guide to Chhath Puja 2026 — the four-day calendar, the sunset and sunrise Arghya, the puja vidhi, regional variations and a practical diaspora playbook.
Quick answer: Chhath Puja 2026 culminates on Sunday, 15 November 2026, with the Sandhya (sunset) Arghya on that evening and the Usha (sunrise) Arghya on the following dawn. The four-day observance begins with Nahay Khay, followed by Kharna, then the two Arghyas that close the vrat.
Chhath Puja is one of the most demanding and deeply loved vrats of the Hindu calendar — a four-day thanksgiving to Surya (the Sun) and Chhathi Maiya, observed with special intensity across Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and now wherever their families have travelled. Below is the day-by-day calendar for Chhath Puja 2026, the sunset and sunrise Arghya, the puja vidhi, regional differences, and a practical guide for devotees observing far from a river ghat.
Quick Facts: Chhath Puja 2026
- FestivalChhath Puja (Surya Shashthi)
- Main day (Sandhya Arghya)Sunday, 15 November 2026
- Usha Arghya (Paran)Following dawn, after 15 November 2026
- DurationFour days (Nahay Khay to Usha Arghya)
- DeitiesSurya (Sun) and Chhathi Maiya
- TithiKartik Shukla Shashthi
- Core regionBihar, Jharkhand, eastern UP, Nepal Terai
Please note: the exact sunset and sunrise clock times, and therefore the precise Arghya moments, vary by city and are only fixed close to the date by your local panchang. We have deliberately not printed specific muhurat clock times below — read them from your family panchang or temple on the day. [VERIFY] any printed clock time against a local almanac for your city.
The Four Days of Chhath Puja 2026
Chhath unfolds over four days centred on Kartik Shukla Shashthi. The Sandhya (evening) Arghya falls on Sunday, 15 November 2026, and the Usha (morning) Arghya is offered at the next dawn.
| Day | Ritual | In brief |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Nahay Khay | The vrati bathes, ideally in a river, and eats one simple sattvic meal (traditionally chana dal, lauki and rice); the day sets the tone of purity. |
| Day 2 | Kharna / Lohanda | A day-long fast broken after sunset with kheer, roti and fruit; the strict nirjala (waterless) fast begins after this meal and runs until the Usha Arghya. |
| Day 3 | Sandhya Arghya — 15 November 2026 | The family carries the daura of thekua, fruit, sugarcane and coconut to the ghat; standing in water, the vrati offers Arghya to the setting Sun. This is the heart of Chhath. |
| Day 4 | Usha Arghya (Paran) | Before dawn the family returns to the ghat and offers Arghya to the rising Sun; the vrat is completed, the fast is broken (paran) and prasad is shared. |
Panchang and Tithi Note
Chhath is tied to Kartik Shukla Shashthi. Because Shashthi tithi begins and ends at clock times that shift by locality, some panchangs and family traditions may reckon the Sandhya Arghya evening slightly differently in a border year. Where your family panchang or temple and a printed calendar genuinely differ on the Arghya evening, follow your family and temple practice — Chhath is observed exactly as elders in the household have kept it. We have not tried to rule one reckoning correct here.
Puja Vidhi: How Chhath Is Observed
- Nahay Khay: bathe, clean the kitchen and cook one sattvic meal with new or scrupulously clean utensils; eat once.
- Kharna: fast through the day; after sunset offer and then eat kheer, roti and fruit; begin the nirjala fast.
- Prepare prasad: make thekua, rice-laddu and gather fruit, sugarcane, coconut, banana and diyas in the daura.
- Sandhya Arghya (15 November 2026): go to the ghat in the evening; the vrati stands in water and offers Arghya of water and milk to the setting Sun.
- Overnight: sing traditional Chhath geet and keep vigil; some families keep a lamp lit through the night.
- Usha Arghya: return before dawn; offer Arghya to the rising Sun.
- Paran: take the blessed water and prasad, break the fast, and distribute thekua and prasad to all.
Fasting: Please Keep It Safe
The Chhath nirjala vrat — without food or water for roughly 36 hours across two nights — is one of the most rigorous fasts in Hindu observance. Anyone who is pregnant, elderly, unwell, or living with a medical condition such as diabetes should consult a doctor before undertaking or continuing this fast, and may keep the spirit of Chhath through a modified observance. This guide describes the tradition; it is not medical advice, and it offers no diet plan.
Who Observes Chhath, and How
Traditionally the vrat is kept by married women for the wellbeing of their family, but there is a wide and long-standing range of practice: men keep Chhath, unmarried people keep it, and whole households take part in the preparations, the ghat visit and the singing. Some keep it after a wish is fulfilled; some keep it every year as a family vow. There is no single rule about who is eligible — follow the practice of your own family and temple, and take part in whatever way your health and circumstances allow. It is offered here as tradition, with no promise of any specific outcome for health, marriage, children or prosperity.
Regional Variations
- Bihar and eastern UP: grand ghat gatherings on the Ganga and its tributaries; thekua is the signature prasad and Chhath geet fill the evenings.
- Jharkhand: strong observance around Ranchi and the Damodar; community ghats organised locally.
- Nepal (Terai / Mithila): Chhath is a major public festival, with large gatherings on riverbanks and ponds.
- Delhi, Mumbai and other metros: municipal ghats, artificial ponds and rooftop or balcony setups for families without river access.
- Some communities emphasise the Kartik Chhath (this festival); a smaller Chaiti Chhath is observed in Chaitra by some families.
Diaspora Guide: Keeping Chhath Away From Home
- No river nearby: many families use a clean tub, a garden pool, or a community-arranged artificial pond; the sincerity of the Arghya matters more than the size of the water body.
- Confirm local sunset and sunrise times for your city for 15 November 2026 and the next dawn, since these are the true anchors of the two Arghyas.
- Source ingredients early — atta, jaggery, ghee, sugarcane, coconut and bamboo daura can sell out in diaspora Indian stores before the festival.
- Cook thekua and prasad in a scrupulously clean space, keeping the traditional purity rules that define Chhath.
- Coordinate with a local Bihari/Purvanchali association or temple; many organise community Arghya at a lake or park.
- Any open flame, diya or lamp, and any use of a public water body, is governed by local law and site rules — always check what is permitted where you live.
Mantras and Songs
Devotees traditionally offer Arghya while reciting the Surya Gayatri and Aditya-related shlokas, and the evenings are filled with Chhath geet — folk songs to Chhathi Maiya passed down through generations. These traditional and folk texts are part of the living practice; use the versions your family and community sing, and avoid substituting modern film or copyrighted songs during the ritual.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Chhath Puja in 2026?
Chhath Puja 2026 culminates on Sunday, 15 November 2026, with the Sandhya (sunset) Arghya that evening and the Usha (sunrise) Arghya at the following dawn. The four-day festival begins two days earlier with Nahay Khay.
What are the four days of Chhath called?
The four days are Nahay Khay (day 1), Kharna or Lohanda (day 2), Sandhya Arghya on 15 November 2026 (day 3), and Usha Arghya with paran (day 4).
What are the Sandhya and Usha Arghya timings?
Sandhya Arghya is offered to the setting Sun on the evening of 15 November 2026, and Usha Arghya to the rising Sun at the next dawn. The exact clock times depend on your city's sunset and sunrise; read them from your local panchang. [VERIFY]
What is the difference between Sandhya and Usha Arghya?
Sandhya Arghya is the evening offering to the setting Sun, and Usha Arghya is the morning offering to the rising Sun. Together they bookend the strict nirjala fast and complete the vrat.
Is the Chhath fast safe for everyone?
The Chhath nirjala fast is very rigorous, lasting around 36 hours without food or water. Anyone who is pregnant, elderly, unwell, or has a medical condition should consult a doctor before observing it and may keep a modified observance instead.
Who can observe the Chhath vrat?
Traditionally married women keep the vrat, but practice varies widely — men, unmarried people and whole households also observe it. There is no single rule; follow your family and temple practice and take part as your health allows.
What prasad is offered during Chhath?
The signature prasad is thekua, a jaggery-and-wheat cookie fried in ghee, offered alongside fruit, sugarcane, coconut, banana, rice-laddu and diyas — all prepared with strict cleanliness.
How can diaspora families observe Chhath without a river?
Families use a clean tub, garden pool or community-arranged artificial pond, confirm local sunset and sunrise times for 15 November 2026, source ingredients early, and often join a local Purvanchali association or temple. Always follow local law on water bodies and open flames.
