Chhath Puja is one of the most sacred and eco-spiritual festivals celebrated with immense devotion in Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal. Dedicated to Lord Surya (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya (Usha, the Goddess of dawn), this festival honours the Sun’s life-giving energy and seeks blessings for prosperity, health, and longevity. In 2025, Chhath Puja will be celebrated from October 25 to October 28, 2025, lasting four holy days filled with fasting, prayers, and rituals along riverbanks.
Dates & Timings for Chhath 2025:
According to festival calendars:
Chhath Puja (Kartik Chhath / Surya Shashti) 2025: Monday, October 27, 2025 (main day)
The four days of observance are:
Nahay Khay – Sat, October 25, 2025
Kharna / Lohanda – Sun, October 26, 2025
Sandhya Arghya / Evening offering (Sixth day / Shashthi) – Mon, October 27, 2025
Usha Arghya / Sunrise offering & Parana (breaking fast) – Tue, October 28, 2025
Timings (approximate/typical) for key rituals:
Sunrise on main Chhath day: ~ 06:42 AM
Sunset/evening Arghya time: ~ 06:05 PM
For example, in New Delhi, Sandhya Arghya (sunset offering) is listed at 17:39:38 (5:39:38 PM)
Sunrise next morning (for Usha Arghya) in New Delhi: ~ 06:30:35 AM
Because local sunrise/sunset times vary by place, devotees should check their city’s Panchang for precise local muhurats.
Significance & Overview:
Chhath Puja is a festival that honours the sun and is dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun) and Chhathi Maiya (Usha or Shashthi Devi). It is observed in the Kartik month (October/November) and lasts for 4 days.
People who worship the Sun thank it for keeping life going and ask for its gifts for the health, wealth, and longevity of their children and family. They also try to cleanse their body and mind through fasting and ritual purity.
Chhath is especially significant in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal, where it is observed with great fervour.
Unlike many Hindu festivals, no idols are worshipped; rather, offerings (arghya) are made to the rising and setting sun, standing in water, using special baskets (soop) of prasad, fruits, etc.
Rituals & Celebration of the 4-Day Festival:
As a Hindu festival, Chhath honours the life-sustaining energy of the Sun, symbolising gratitude, discipline, and devotion.
In 2025, Chhath Puja will be observed from Saturday, October 25 to Tuesday, October 28 2025. The four days are known as Nahay Khay, Kharna (Lohanda), Sandhya Arghya, and Usha Arghya. Each day carries a unique spiritual and ritualistic significance.
Day 1 — Nahay Khay (Saturday, October 25, 2025):
On the first day of the Chhath festival, which is dedicated to dedication and cleansing, the ball is dropped. "Nahay Khay" literally translates to "to bathe and eat." A sacred plunge in a river or pond, ideally in the Ganga or another holy body of water, is a way for devotees to wash away their sins, mentally and physically.
After bathing, they prepare a simple satvik (pure vegetarian) meal, typically consisting of rice, chana dal, and bottle gourd (lauki) cooked in pure ghee. The food is made in a clean space, and to keep the symbolic purity, the devotees only eat it once a day. After this meal, no food is eaten until the next day's routine.Cleanliness, discipline, and simplicity are the main focuses of Nahay Khay.
Day 2 — Kharna or Lohanda (Sunday, October 26, 2025):
The second day, known as Kharna, involves a rigorous day-long fast without water (nirjala vrat). The devotees spend the entire day in devotion, meditation, and preparations for the coming rituals.
In the evening, after sunset, the fast is broken following the performance of the Kharna Puja. The prasad for this ritual typically includes gur ki kheer (rice pudding made with jaggery and milk), fruits, and chapatis. People give the prasad to the gods and then share it with their family, friends, and neighbours. After eating this holy dish, the followers start a 36-hour fast without food or water, which lasts until the last morning ritual.
Kharna symbolises inner purification — a step to cleanse the mind and soul before offering prayers to the Sun God.
Day 3 — Sandhya Arghya (Monday, October 27, 2025):
This is the most significant day of Chhath Puja. Devotees, dressed in traditional attire, gather near riverbanks, ponds, or lakes in the evening to offer their first Arghya (offering) to the setting Sun. Sandhya Arghya is the name of his ritual.
The women who fast, called Vrattins, pack a soop (a bamboo basket) with food offerings such as fruits, sugarcane, coconuts, traditional sweets called thekua, and lamps called diyas. As bhajans and folk songs honouring Surya and Chhathi Maiya are sung, the atmosphere takes on a heavenly quality.
At sunset, devotees stand waist-deep in water and offer milk, water, and prasad to the setting Sun, praying for good health, prosperity, and well-being of their family. The reflection of countless diyas floating on the river creates a mesmerising sight, symbolising purity and devotion.
This ritual holds immense spiritual significance, as the Sun is believed to be the eternal source of energy, healing, and life. Offering Arghya at sunset signifies gratitude for the past and hope for a bright future.
Day 4 — Usha Arghya (Tuesday, October 28, 2025):
The final day of Chhath Puja begins before dawn. Devotees, accompanied by family members, reach the ghats once again to offer the Usha Arghya (morning offering) to the rising Sun. People who follow the religion ask for renewal, forgiveness, and the continuation of blessings in the early morning prayers, which are seen as the holiest.
After offering Arghya to the first rays of the morning Sun, the fast — which lasts for almost 36 hours without water — is broken. The devotees drink raw milk or sharbat and eat prasad to conclude the fast, known as Parana.
This moment is filled with joy, faith, and gratitude. The completion of the Chhath fast symbolises the victory of devotion and discipline, purifying the devotee’s body, mind, and spirit.
Ritual Essence and Celebration:
Chhath Puja is not just a festival — it’s a practice of deep devotion and self-control. There are no priests who do the rites; instead, the devotees do the worship themselves, which emphasises personal purity and a direct connection to nature and God.
Houses are cleaned days before the festival, and families prepare handmade prasad using natural ingredients. The entire environment becomes spiritually charged with Chhath songs, the aroma of thekua, and the glow of diyas lighting up riverbanks.
People from all walks of life come together, transcending social barriers, to participate in the worship of the Sun. Many even travel back to their hometowns to celebrate with family, turning ghats into grand yet peaceful gatherings of faith.
Chhath Puja 2025 will once again bring millions of people together to thank the Sun and Mother Nature for giving them life. From Nahay Khay to Usha Arghya, every ritual holds great significance, encompassing themes of gratitude, discipline, and cleansing.
Chhath teaches humility, strength, and the value of balance between people and nature through fasting, devotion, and prayer. The festival, with its flickering diyas along the banks of rivers and the sound of songs in the cool October air, is a timeless reminder that sincerity, simplicity, and a pure heart are what make worship real.
