Chhath Puja 2026 in Europe: Sandhya and Usha Arghya Times for 18 Cities

Quick answer: Chhath Puja 2026 Europe dates are the same as India's: Nahay Khay on Friday 13 November, Kharna on Saturday 14 November, Sandhya Arghya at sunset on Sunday 15 November and Usha Arghya at sunrise on Monday 16 November 2026. Sandhya Arghya is at 4:42 PM in Frankfurt, 5:12 PM in Paris, 4:49 PM in Amsterdam and 4:30 PM in Dublin; Usha Arghya is at 7:37 AM, 7:59 AM, 8:01 AM and 7:49 AM respectively.

In every European city in our table, the Shashti tithi is running at local sunset on Sunday 15 November, just as in India, so there is no shift of day. Only the clock times differ, and they differ a lot: sunset on the main evening is 3:25 PM in Stockholm but 5:59 PM in Madrid.

Where the times come from: the four festival days are Drik Panchang's dates for India. City sunsets and sunrises are from HinduTone's calculator, using the Drik method. All times are local winter time (clocks went back on Sunday 25 October): Central European Time everywhere except Dublin and Lisbon, which are on Greenwich/Western European time.

Chhath Puja 2026 Europe arghya times: city-wise table

Sandhya Arghya is offered to the setting sun, so be at the water or your puja spot well before the sunset time. Usha Arghya is offered to the rising sun, so be ready before the sunrise time.

For towns not listed, the nearest city is a rough guide; check Drik Panchang for your own location. Sunset and sunrise can differ by several minutes even within one country.

Chhath Puja 2026 Germany: Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich and Hamburg

Many Bihari and Purvanchali families in Germany live in university and technology cities. The four German cities in our table share the same dates and differ only in time: the evening arghya is earliest in Berlin (4:15 PM) and latest in Frankfurt (4:42 PM), while the morning arghya is earliest in Munich (7:19 AM) and latest in Hamburg (7:45 AM). In all four, Shashti is running at sunset on Sunday 15 November in our calculation, as in India.

The four days of Chhath in 2026

In India the main Chhath day, Sunday 15 November, is also Skanda Sashti (Drik). For Indian city arghya times, see Chhath Puja 2026 arghya times, city by city in Bihar and India. Never copy India's times to Europe; use your own city's sunset and sunrise.

What Chhath means

Chhath is a festival of gratitude to Surya, the Sun, and to Chhathi Maiya, worshipped as the sister of the Sun or as a form of Shashti Devi who protects children. It is kept above all by families from Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and the Nepal Terai. As commonly told, Sita kept the Chhath vrat after returning to Ayodhya, and Draupadi kept it during the Pandavas' exile; Karna, son of Surya, is said to have offered arghya standing in water every day.

Its hallmarks are purity and simplicity: no idol is needed, the offerings are home-made, and the devotee (vratti), most often a woman, keeps a long fast without water. Thekua, the crisp wheat-and-jaggery biscuit, is the signature prasad. For recipes, see Chhath Puja 2026 prasad recipes: thekua and fruits, and for the full vidhi, Chhath Puja 2026: dates, arghya timings and full vidhi.

Cold water safety in a European November

In Bihar the vrattis stand waist-deep in the Ganga or a pond. In Europe in mid-November, lakes, canals and rivers are cold enough to cause cold-water shock, which can make anyone gasp and lose control of breathing within seconds. The person standing in the water has also been fasting without water for many hours. Please take this seriously.

• Stay at the edge: offer arghya standing on the bank or ankle-deep, not waist-deep, unless you know the water and have trained helpers beside you.
• Never alone: keep at least two adults on the bank, a torch, a warm blanket and a phone. Avoid flowing rivers and steep or slippery banks.
• The dark: the morning arghya happens before full daylight and the evening one ends in dusk. Bring headlamps and mark the path.
• Elders and children: keep them out of the water, and make sure the vratti has warm, dry clothes ready immediately after the arghya.
• Medical advice: anyone who is pregnant, diabetic, elderly or on regular medication should speak to a doctor before a 36-hour fast without water.

Indoor and tub alternatives

Many families in Europe, and in Britain, Canada and the USA, keep Chhath beautifully without a public lake:

• A tub or large basin: fill it with warm water in the garden, on a balcony or in a community hall, place sugarcane at the corners, and stand in it facing the sun's direction for the arghya.
• Home courtyard or balcony: set up the soops facing west in the evening and east in the morning. The arghya is offered to the sun, so face its direction even if clouds hide it.
• Community halls: in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Ireland and Scandinavia, Bihari and Purvanchali associations sometimes book halls or gardens. Ask local groups and temples; we do not list events, venues or schedules.
• Video with family: many vrattis share the arghya live with relatives at a ghat in India. Remember that the Indian sunset happens hours before yours.

Permits, parks and leaving no trace

Europe's rules on public waterways differ from country to country and city to city. A large group with lamps and offerings at a lake or canal may need permission from the city council, the parks department or the authority that manages the water. Ask early, especially if you plan a shared ghat for many families.

• Do not leave food, flowers, coconut shells or lamps in the water; take all offerings home and dispose of them respectfully.
• Use battery lights rather than open flames where fire is not allowed.
• Keep noise moderate on Monday morning: 16 November is a working day, and neighbours may be asleep.

Fitting Chhath into a European work week

2026 is kind to the European calendar. Nahay Khay falls on a Friday, Kharna on a Saturday and the Sandhya Arghya on a Sunday afternoon, so most families can prepare and gather over the weekend. The Usha Arghya on Monday 16 November comes at about 7 to 8 AM, which allows the vratti to break the fast and still reach work, though many take the day off to rest. The early dark is the main challenge: in Oslo, Stockholm and Warsaw the sun sets before 4 PM.

Chhath comes a week after Diwali, which is Sunday 8 November across Europe. See Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 in Europe, city by city. Families in the UK can use Chhath Puja in the UK.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Sandhya Arghya time for Chhath Puja 2026 in Frankfurt?

Sunset in Frankfurt on Sunday 15 November 2026 is 4:42 PM, so the evening arghya to the setting sun is offered just before 4:42 PM. The Usha Arghya to the rising sun is at sunrise on Monday 16 November, 7:37 AM. These are calculated times; please confirm on Drik Panchang.

When is Chhath Puja 2026 in Germany?

The same days as India: Nahay Khay Friday 13, Kharna Saturday 14, Sandhya Arghya Sunday 15 and Usha Arghya Monday 16 November 2026. Sunset on 15 November is 4:42 PM in Frankfurt, 4:15 PM in Berlin, 4:37 PM in Munich and 4:24 PM in Hamburg.

What time is sunset for Chhath in Paris on 15 November 2026?

5:12 PM in Paris on Sunday 15 November, and sunrise for the Usha Arghya on Monday 16 November is 7:59 AM.

What are the Chhath arghya times in Amsterdam?

Sandhya Arghya: sunset 4:49 PM on Sunday 15 November 2026. Usha Arghya: sunrise 8:01 AM on Monday 16 November. Brussels is 4:57 PM and 7:57 AM.

Is it safe to stand in a lake or river for Chhath in Europe in November?

Be very careful. European lakes and rivers in mid-November are cold enough to cause cold-water shock, and banks can be slippery in the dark. Many families offer arghya standing at the water's edge, or in a tub of warm water at home or in a community hall. Never go into water alone, and keep children and elders out of deep or flowing water.

Do I need permission to hold Chhath at a public lake in Europe?

Rules differ by country and city. Group gatherings, lamps, offerings left in water and use of riverbanks may need permission from the local council or the body that manages the water. Ask well in advance, and take everything home afterwards.

Editor's note

Editor's note (6 October 2026): This guide has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. Dates marked Drik are from Drik Panchang. City sunset and sunrise values are from our calculator (Drik method; where our guides give moonrise, it is the standard astronomical moonrise, checked against the US Naval Observatory, and Drik may show a few minutes later). Please confirm on Drik Panchang and follow your temple or community. We do not list events, venues or timings of gatherings.

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