Other · Surya (the Sun), Chhathi Maiya
Chhath Puja
Four days of strict fasting and water-side offerings to the setting and rising Sun.
Also known as: Surya Shashthi, Dala Chhath, Chhath Parv
Date and muhurat
✓ 28.6519°N, 77.2315°E · Asia/Kolkata
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When is it observed?
It spans four days beginning on Chaturthi of the bright fortnight of Kartik. The main day, with the evening offering, is Shashthi, and the morning offering follows on Saptami.
About Chhath Puja
Chhath is a festival of the Sun and of Chhathi Maiya, observed mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and the Terai of Nepal, and carried by migrants to cities across India and abroad. Devotees, called vratis, fast and stand in rivers, ponds or tanks to offer arghya to the Sun.
It is known for its simplicity and discipline. There are no priests and no idols; offerings are made in bamboo baskets, with fruits, sugarcane, coconut and a sweet called thekua, and the food is cooked without onion or garlic (many families also avoid ordinary salt in the prasad), in clean utensils and often on a clay stove.
Significance
Chhath honours the Sun as the source of light, warmth and life, and offers thanks for it. Devotees traditionally pray for the well-being of their children and family, and the festival is also associated with purity of body and mind.
The rare act of worshipping the setting Sun as well as the rising Sun is taken to express gratitude for both the giving and the ending of the day. The festival also builds community, since neighbours clean the ghats together, share prasad and help the vratis.
The four days of Chhath
- 1Day 1, Nahay Khay (Chaturthi): the vrati bathes in a river or at home and cleans the house, then eats a single simple meal, usually rice, bottle-gourd and chana dal, cooked without onion or garlic (the exact dishes vary by family).
- 2Day 2, Kharna (Panchami): the vrati fasts through the day, many without even water, and breaks the fast after sunset with kheer made from jaggery, rice and milk, along with roti and bananas, which is shared as prasad. After this meal the strict waterless fast of about 36 hours begins.
- 3Day 3, Sandhya Arghya (Shashthi): the vrati continues the waterless fast, prepares the prasad and thekua, and goes to the water with family carrying the baskets on the head.
- 4At the ghat, the vrati stands waist-deep in water facing the setting Sun and offers arghya from a sup (winnowing tray) while family members pour milk and water.
- 5The family returns home and spends the night singing Chhathi Maiya songs, with the baskets kept in a clean place.
- 6Day 4, Usha Arghya (Saptami): before dawn the family returns to the water, and the vrati offers arghya to the rising Sun.
- 7The fast is then broken, first with a sip of water, ginger and prasad, and then a full meal, called parana.
- 8The prasad is shared widely with relatives, neighbours and anyone who visits.
The story
Several traditions are linked to Chhath. In the Ramayana tradition, Rama and Sita are said to have observed a fast and offered prayers to the Sun on Shashthi after returning to Ayodhya, which began the custom among the people.
In the Mahabharata tradition, Draupadi is said to have kept the vow when the Pandavas were in distress, and Karna, the son of Surya, is remembered for offering water to the Sun every morning while standing in a river. Another tradition connects the day with Chhathi Maiya, a goddess who protects children, known in some places as Shashthi Devi.
What to do
- ✓Keep the house, kitchen and utensils very clean.
- ✓Cook the prasad on a clean stove with fresh ingredients only.
- ✓Wear clean clothes, usually unstitched or freshly washed.
- ✓Help vratis and keep the ghat clean.
- ✓Carry the baskets with care and do not taste the prasad beforehand.
What to avoid
- ✕Do not use onion, garlic or non-vegetarian food during the festival.
- ✕Do not touch the prasad without bathing and being clean.
- ✕Do not litter the river or leave offerings on the ghat.
- ✕Avoid using old, spoiled or already tasted fruit for the offering.
- ✕Do not quarrel or use harsh words near the vrati.
Around the country
- Bihar: the heartland of Chhath, with whole villages and city ghats lit up and filled with songs on the Ganga.
- Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh: observed in the same four-day pattern at rivers, ponds and temple tanks.
- Nepal Terai: observed in Janakpur and neighbouring towns with large gatherings at the water.
- Cities such as Delhi and Mumbai: migrants build temporary tanks or use rivers and lakes, and the festival has become a civic event.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the fast so strict?
After the Kharna meal, the vrati keeps a waterless fast until the morning offering on Saptami, about 36 hours, as an act of discipline and devotion. Those who cannot keep it fully should follow their own health and consult a doctor.
What is thekua?
Thekua is a crisp sweet made of wheat flour, jaggery and ghee, fried in a mould pattern. It is the chief prasad of Chhath.
Can anyone observe Chhath?
Yes. Men and women of any background can take the vow, and once taken it is traditionally continued each year, though some families pass it on when the vrati can no longer observe it.
Why are both setting and rising Sun worshipped?
The two offerings are taken to mark gratitude for the day that has passed and hope for the day to come, and the pairing shows that life has both a setting and a rising.