Chhath Puja Rituals, Legends & 2025 Dates: A Complete Devotee’s Guide

Also known as: Surya Shashti, Chaiti Chhath (spring version)
Main deity: Surya Bhagavan (Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya (Usha Devi)
Regions celebrated: Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and parts of North India
2025 Dates:

October 25 – Naha Kha
October 26 – Kharna
October 27 – Sandhya Arghya
October 29 – Suryodaya Arghya (Paran)

Spiritual Significance

Chhath Puja honors the Sun God for sustaining life and granting health, prosperity, and moksha.
Devotees offer prayers to both the setting sun and the rising sun, symbolizing the cycle of life and death.
Chhathi Maiya, invoked during this vrat, is believed to bless devotees with divine consciousness and liberation.
The Rigveda mentions solar worship, and legends link Chhath to Karna and the Pandavas, who performed it to regain their kingdom.

Ritual Overview: Four Days of Devotion

Day 1 – Naha Kha (Bath and Eat)

Devotees bathe in a sacred river and clean their homes.
Only one meal is consumed after sunset, prepared with river water.
Food is strictly vegetarian, without salt, onion, or garlic.

Day 2 – Kharna

Full-day fast without water until sunset.
After sunset, devotees offer Rasia-kheer, puris, and bananas to Mother Earth.
A 36-hour nirjala (waterless) fast begins after this meal.

Day 3 – Chhath

Sanjhiya Arghya: Evening offerings to the setting sun at a riverbank or pond.
Kosi Ritual: Five sugarcane sticks form a canopy with lamps, symbolizing Panchatattva (five elements).
Families with recent childbirth or marriage perform this ritual.
Folk songs are sung, preserving oral traditions of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Day 4 – Parna

Bihaniya Arghya: Morning offerings to the rising sun.
Devotees break their fast and distribute prasad.
The ritual concludes with gratitude and blessings from Chhathi Maiya.

Unique Features

No pandit involvement—devotees perform all rituals themselves.
Once started, the vrat must be continued annually and passed to future generations.
Women pray for family well-being and prosperity.
Celebrations peak at the banks of Ganga and Yamuna, with thousands gathering in devotion.

Observances and Discipline

Devotees sleep on the floor with a single blanket.
Maintain strict purity and discipline throughout the vrat.
The vrat is considered one of the toughest, requiring immense willpower and faith.