Festival Calendar 2026
Chhath Puja 2026: Dates, Arghya Times and Vidhi
Quick answer: Chhath Puja 2026 falls on Sunday, 15 November (Kartik Shukla Shashthi), with the evening Sandhya Arghya at local sunset that day and the morning Usha Arghya at sunrise on Monday, 16 November. The four days are Nahay Khay (Fri 13 Nov), Kharna (Sat 14 Nov), Sandhya Arghya (Sun 15 Nov) and Usha Arghya (Mon 16 Nov). All timings below are computed from the ephemeris for Indian Standard Time.
Chhath Puja 2026: the four days
| Day | Date (2026) | Tithi | What is done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nahay Khay | Friday 13 November | Kartik Shukla Chaturthi | Holy bath, cleaning of the home, a single sattvic meal (kaddu-bhaat, chana dal) cooked in purity |
| Kharna (Lohanda) | Saturday 14 November | Kartik Shukla Panchami | Day-long fast; at dusk the vrati eats rasiao-kheer, roti and fruit — the last food before the 36-hour fast |
| Sandhya Arghya | Sunday 15 November | Kartik Shukla Shashthi (11:26 PM 14 Nov – 2:02 AM 16 Nov) | Standing in water, arghya of milk and water offered to the setting Sun with thekua, fruits and sugarcane in the soop |
| Usha Arghya / Paran | Monday 16 November | Kartik Shukla Saptami | Arghya to the rising Sun; the fast is broken (paran) with prasad afterwards |
Sandhya Arghya and Usha Arghya times by city
Arghya follows the local Sun, so the time differs by city. Sunset on 15 November and sunrise on 16 November 2026:
| City | Sandhya Arghya (sunset, 15 Nov) | Usha Arghya (sunrise, 16 Nov) |
|---|---|---|
| Patna | 5:00 PM | 6:09 AM |
| Gaya | 5:02 PM | 6:08 AM |
| Ranchi | 5:03 PM | 6:04 AM |
| Varanasi | 5:09 PM | 6:17 AM |
| Lucknow | 5:15 PM | 6:27 AM |
| Kolkata | 4:52 PM | 5:51 AM |
| Delhi | 5:27 PM | 6:45 AM |
| Mumbai | 6:00 PM | 6:47 AM |
For any other city, offer the evening arghya at your local sunset and the morning arghya at local sunrise; the free panchang tool gives exact sunrise and sunset for any place in the world.
Chhath puja vidhi: what each day asks of the vrati
- Nahay Khay: bathe in a river or with river water, clean the kitchen, and eat one pure meal without onion or garlic.
- Kharna: fast through the day; after sunset cook kheer on a mud stove with mango wood if possible, offer it, then eat — this begins the nirjala fast.
- Sandhya Arghya: prepare thekua and prasad in purity; carry the soop with fruits, sugarcane, coconut and a lamp to the ghat; family members offer arghya on the vrati's behalf as the Sun sets.
- Usha Arghya: return to the ghat before dawn; offer arghya to the rising Sun; break the fast with prasad and ginger-sugar or sharbat.
What to avoid
No onion, garlic, alcohol or non-vegetarian food in the house through the four days; the vrati sleeps on the floor; prasad is prepared only after bathing, with new or thoroughly cleaned vessels; nothing is bought on credit for the puja, and the soop and dagra are never placed on the ground without a cloth.
Why the Sun, and why Shashthi
Chhath is the only major observance that worships the Sun both at setting and at rising — a recognition that the same Sun which governs vitality (Surya in the birth chart: health, father, authority, confidence) is honoured in its gentlest light. Shashthi belongs to Chhathi Maiya, associated with the protection of children, which is why the vrat is so often kept for a child's wellbeing. If the Sun is weak in your kundli — check its house and sign in the free kundli — Chhath's arghya is the classical, gentle remedy.
Chhath Puja 2026: common questions
When is Chhath Puja in 2026?
The main evening arghya (Sandhya Arghya) is on Sunday 15 November 2026 and the morning arghya (Usha Arghya) on Monday 16 November. The four-day observance begins with Nahay Khay on Friday 13 November and Kharna on Saturday 14 November.
Which tithi is Chhath Puja?
Chhath is observed on Kartik Shukla Shashthi, the sixth lunar day of the bright half of Kartik. In 2026 the Shashthi tithi runs from 11:26 PM on 14 November to 2:02 AM on 16 November, so it covers the whole of Sunday 15 November.
What time is the Sandhya Arghya?
The evening arghya is offered to the setting Sun on 15 November: about 5:00 PM in Patna, 5:09 PM in Varanasi, 4:52 PM in Kolkata, 5:27 PM in Delhi and 6:00 PM in Mumbai (local sunset). Reach the ghat 30–45 minutes earlier.
What time is the Usha Arghya?
The morning arghya is offered to the rising Sun on 16 November: about 6:09 AM in Patna, 6:17 AM in Varanasi, 5:51 AM in Kolkata, 6:45 AM in Delhi and 6:47 AM in Mumbai (local sunrise).
How long is the Chhath fast?
The strict nirjala (waterless) fast begins after the Kharna prasad on the evening of 14 November and ends after the Usha Arghya on the morning of 16 November — roughly 36 hours.
Is Chhath only for Bihar?
No. It is observed across Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal's Terai, and by families from those regions everywhere in India and abroad. Use your own local sunset and sunrise for the arghya wherever you are.
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