Chhath Puja 2026: Date, Sandhya Arghya and Usha Arghya Timings, 4-Day Rituals and Significance

Celebrated on the sixth day of Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) in Kartik, the Chhath Puja festival is one of the ancient Vedic festivals for the worship of Lord Surya (Sun God) and Goddess Chhathi Maiya. Celebrated about a week after Diwali in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, the four-day ritual worship of the solar deity is done in appreciation of its being the source of power and energy on earth. From the point of view of Vedic astrology, performing Arghya (offering of water) to the sun at dawn and dusk strengthens a weak sun in the natal chart.

Below is the complete guide to the dates of Chhath Puja 2026, timings for Arghya, four days of rituals, and scriptural importance as per GaneshaSpeaks Panchang.

Chhath Puja 2026: 4-Day Calendar & Arghya Timings

Chhath Puja 2026 will commence on Friday, November 13, and end on Monday, November 16, 2026, as per the GaneshaSpeaks Hindu festivals calendar. Sandhya Arghya will be held on Sunday, November 15, 2026.

Day-by-Day Rituals of Chhath Puja 2026

Day 1: Nahay Khay (Friday, November 13, 2026)

The four-day ritual starts with the Nahay Khay, which means “bathing and eating.” The devotees (Vrattis) have a cleansing bath in a river, pond, or clean water available at home, wear new clothes, and clean their home and kitchen. The devotees on this particular day eat only one Satvik meal, which means a meal without garlic and onions and includes the use of rock salt (Sendha Namak).

Day 2: Lohanda and Kharna (Saturday, November 14, 2026)

On the second day, devotees keep an austere fast without food or water until sunset. In the evening, after worshipping the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, the fast is broken with the Kharna Prasad of Gur ki Kheer (rasiya) and Roti. After having the Prasad, the Vratti begins the 36-hour Nirjala Vrat (fast without water).

Day 3: Sandhya Arghya (Sunday, November 15, 2026)

On the third day, the main Chhath Puja is performed. People carry bamboo winnows (Soop and Daura) filled with the traditional offerings of Thekua (a traditional sweet made of wheat flour, jaggery and ghee), rice laddoos, sugarcane, coconuts, green ginger, seasonal fruits, etc. Just before the sun sets (05:28 PM in New Delhi; 05:01 PM in Patna), people gather on the banks of the river or pond. The devotees get knee-deep in the water and offer water and raw milk to the setting sun.

Day 4: Usha Arghya & Parana (Monday, November 16, 2026)

When the sun rises at dawn (06:44 AM in New Delhi; 06:08 AM in Patna), the devotees go back to the riverside and perform Usha Arghya to the sun’s rays. It is considered that at this time, the rays of the sun rejuvenate us and give our lives new hope. After performing the prayer to Chhathi Maiya, the Vratti ends his/her 36-hour fasting period.

Scriptural & Astrological Significance of Chhath Puja

• Chhathi Maiya (sister of Lord Surya) is referred to in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana. Chhathi Maiya blessed King Priyavrata and Queen Malini with a healthy baby following the sacred Yajna performed by Maharishi Kashyap on Kartik Shukla Shashthi.

• As per legends, Karna – son of Lord Surya – used to stand in water when performing Arghya to the Sun and thus attained spiritual power that was invincible. Draupadi and the Pandavas also followed the same ritual to get their lost kingdom back.

• The Sun, or Surya, represents energy and power, leadership, vision, bones, and workplace authority, as per Vedic astrology. Performing Chhath and reciting Om Ghrini Suryaya Namah is believed to strengthen a weak Sun in the birth chart.

Final Thoughts

Chhath Puja is believed to be one of the most organized and eco-friendly Vedic sequences of different sacred rites such as worship of the Sun, water and the sacredness of Mother Nature. By undertaking fasts from Nahay Khay to Usha Arghya and offering Arghya at the time of sunset and sunrise, a person manages to synchronise body and mind with the energy of the Sun and get enlightened.