Chhath Puja, also known as Surya Sashthi. It is a famous festival celebrated in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand after six days of Diwali festival. Moreover, people celebrate this festival with full zeal and equal dedication in many other states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Goa and Maharashtra. The festival holds great significance for the Hindu community as it is one of the ancient festivals.

People celebrate Chhath Puja to show gratitude towards the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth. It is a 4-day festival, where women keep 36 hours of fast (starts on Shukla Chaturthi and ends on Shukla Saptami) and pray for longevity, prosperity and well-being.

Chhath Puja 2024 Important Dates

Rituals	Date	Tithi	Day
Nahay Khay	5 November 2024	Karthik Shukla Chaturthi	Tuesday
Kharna	6 November 2024	Karthik Shukla Panchami	Wednesday
Sandhya Aarti	7 November 2024	Karthik Shukla Shashti	Thursday
Suryaodya/Usha Argh	8 November 2024	Karthik Shukla Saptami	Friday

Nahay Khay (First Day)

Nahay Khay is the first day of Chhath Puja. People clean their houses and prepare vegetarian food. All the vratis wear clean clothes and prepare prasad for Lord Surya. Kaddoo Bhaat and Chana Daal are quite popular prasads made by the devotees on Nahay Khay.

Kharna (Second Day)

On this day, the vratis fast begins from sunrise till sunset. They can’t drink even a single drop of water and spend the day preparing for the festival. In the evening, vratis prepare a special prasad called Rasiao-kheer (made with Jaggery, rice, and milk) and chapattis.

With this prasad, Vratis worship Chhathi Maiya, and after finishing the Puja, vratis break their fast by eating the prasad and distributing it among family members. After consuming the prasad, the vratis have to fast for 36 hours without any food and water.

Sandhya Arghya (Third Day)

It is the main day of Chhath Puja. People prepare offerings usually before sunrise. During the day, people prepare a basket filled with bamboo sticks, thekua and fruits. In the evening, vratis and their family gather at the river bank of the Ganga or any other holy river. Moreover, vratis sit on the ghat and worship the setting sun. Later in the evening, when the sun sets, vratis offers Sandhya Arghya. After the worship, female folks sing Shashthi Devi Vrat Katha & chhath folk songs at night.

Usha Arghya (Fourth Day)

On the fourth and final day of Chhath Puja, vratis again gather at the bank of the river early in the morning and wait for the sun to rise. When the sun rises, vratis offer the morning Arghya to the rising sun with their feet dipped in the water body. After that, vratis distribute prasad and take blessings from the elderly. After all these rituals, all the devotees return to their homes and break their 36-hour-long fast. The delicious food is offered to vratis, which is called Parna.

Chhath Puja Prasad: Thekua

Chhath Puja’s sacred offerings are a delightful blend of tradition and taste, embodying the festival’s essence. Thekua is a crunchy sweet made primarily from wheat flour and jaggery and deep-fried to perfection. Another delicacy made during Chhath Puja is the ‘Rasia Kheer.’ It is a rich pudding made from rice, milk and sweeteners.

Moreover, you can sprinkle an assortment of dry fruits, fresh coconut slices and ripe bananas. Additionally, sugar canes are often cut and added, symbolising prosperity and sweetness in life. Special rice laddoos, soft and aromatic, are part of the divine spread during the Puja celebration.

Important Timings Of Chhath Puja 2024

Puja Muhurat Start	Shashthi Tithi Begins	12:41 AM	November 07, 2024	Thursday
Puja Muhurat End	Shashthi Tithi Ends	12:34 AM	November 08, 2024	Friday

Significance of Chhath Festival

Chhath Puja worships the Lord Sun, the God of Energy. Each year, devotees pray to God Surya to seek the success and well-being of their family members. According to ancient beliefs, worshipping the Lord Sun also helps cure diseases like Leprosy.

Frequently Asked Questions