Ehtisham Qudrat: Chhath Puja 2026 is currently underway across Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and major Indian cities, with devotees observing Kharna on November 14, 2026. The four-day festival began on November 13 and concludes on Monday, November 16.
Rituals and Festival Schedule
Devotees follow strict rules of purity, eco-friendliness, and discipline throughout the celebrations.
Day 1 (Nahay Khay): Observed on November 13 with holy river dips and a single sattvic meal of bottle gourd, chana dal, and rice cooked on earthen stoves.
Day 2 (Kharna): Observed today, where fasting devotees prepare evening prasad of jaggery kheer, bananas, and Dosti Suhaari (paired rotis) before starting a rigorous 36-hour waterless fast (Nirjala vrat).
Day 3 (Sandhya Arghya): Scheduled for Sunday evening, November 15, when devotees stand in water bodies to offer prayers to the setting sun.
Day 4 (Usha Arghya): Concludes the festival at sunrise on Monday, November 16, as devotees offer prayers to the rising sun and break their 36-hour fast.
Festive Lifestyle and Cultural Highlights
Markets, transport hubs, and ghats are buzzing with cultural activity and homecoming celebrations.
Bustling Local Markets: Wholesale markets in Patna, Lakhisarai, and Delhi are seeing massive footfall as shoppers buy bamboo baskets (soop and daura), earthen pots, and seasonal fruits despite slight festive inflation.
Homecoming and Travel: Thousands of people are traveling back to Bihar from across India and abroad, welcomed by floral decorations at Patna Airport and folk songs by Sharda Sinha playing across major railway stations.
“I was travelling from Delhi NCR to Kolkata via Patna a week ago. A Major, sitting beside me was travelling to Patna from Kashmir via Delhi to celebrate Chhath Puja.
Global and Celebrity Participation: In Nawada district, Japanese teacher Kana Miyamura joined local women in traditional attire to sing folk songs and partake in prasad, while Bhojpuri actress Akshara Singh is observing her second consecutive Chhath fast in Patna.
Ghat Preparations: Authorities have set up elaborate safety and lighting arrangements at major riverbanks and Sun temples, including Danapur Takiyapar Ghat, Punyark Temple in Barh, Ulark Dham, and Deo Sun Temple.
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