Chhath Puja 2026: The Ancient Tradition of Sun Worship

"Pahile pahil hum kayeni, Chhathi Maiya vrat tohar.

Kariha kshama Chhathi Maiya, bhool-chook galati hamar."

"For the very first time, I am observing your fast.

Please forgive me, Chhathi Maiya, for any mistakes or shortcomings I may commit."

— Folk song by Hriday Nath Jha

The scene is set. On the dawn of Kartik, riverbanks across Bihar, Jharkhand, and the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh come alive. Glowing deepams (oil lamps) illuminate the ghats, and people prepare bamboo baskets (soop), decorated with flowers and fruits, for the rituals. Standing waist-deep in water, devotees hold baskets filled with offerings for Surya Dev, their hearts overflowing with gratitude as they pray to the setting sun with folded hands. Even after the sun goes down, the devotion of those gathered at the riverbank remains intact. They return the next morning, to offer arghya to the rising Surya Dev with the same devotion. 

This is the essence of “Chhath”, a unique tradition that celebrates the sunset just as much as the sunrise. It reminds us that both endings and beginnings are sacred, and that the divine is present in every phase of life.

Highlights of the Blog:

• The rich tradition of Chhath
• What is Chhath Puja?
• Puranic legends associated with Chhath
• Who is Chhathi Maiya, and why is she called Vidhata Mata?
• Chhath Worship rituals and auspicious timings (muhurta)
• Chhath celebrations across India and the world

The Rich Tradition of Chhath

Originating in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh, Chhath Puja festival has become a popular celebration across India and abroad. The four-day festival begins with Nahay Khay and concludes with Usha Arghya, a prayer offering to the rising sun.

Throughout these four days, devotees observe a rigorous fast with discipline, purity and devotion. From folk melodies to offering arghya to the first rays of the rising sun while standing in the water, the blend of rituals makes Chhath a deeply spiritual experience.

Here is a closer look at the Chhath Puja significance, its legends, and the rituals observed over the four days.

Chhath Puja 2026 at a Glance

What is Chhath Puja?

Chhath is a major festival of Sun worship celebrated on the sixth day (Shashthi) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksh) in the month of Kartik. It is also known as Surya Shasthi, Dala Chhath, and Chhathi Maiya Puja. During this festival, we offer prayers to the pratyaksh dev (visible deity), Lord Surya, along with Goddess Shasthi, who represents his divine power. The defining feature of this festival is that while its rituals are simple, the fast itself demands great discipline and endurance.

Puranic Legends Associated With Chhath

The tradition of Sun worship in India is as old as the Vedas. In the Rigveda’s Surya Sukta, the Sun is revered as the eye of the universe, the giver of life and the remover of diseases. The Gayatri Mantra itself is a meditation on the radiance of Savitr (the Sun God). Chhath reflects this ancient Vedic tradition, brought to life in everyday folk practices.

“Chitram devanam-udagadanikam chakshur-mitrasya varunasyagneh.

Aapra dyavaprithivi antariksham surya atma jagatas tasthushas cha.”

"The radiant form of the gods has risen in the sky. Surya Dev is the eye of Mitra, Varuna and Agni. With his light, he illuminates the cosmos, the earth and the space between them. The Sun is the soul of all that moves and remains still."

— Rigveda 1.115.1

The Legend of Shasthi Devi

Shasthi Devi’s Katha is mentioned in the Prakriti Khand, Chapter 43 of the Brahmavaivarta Puran and Skandha 9, Chapter 46 of the Devi Bhagavat Puran.

King Priyavrata, son of Svayambhuva Manu, and Queen Malini had no children for a long time. On the advice of Maharshi Kashyap, the King performed the Putrakameshti Yagna, a Vedic ritual performed to seek the blessing of a child. After consuming the sacred offering (charu) from the ritual, the queen became pregnant and, after twelve divine years, gave birth to a son. The child was radiant as gold but he was lifeless.

Overcome with grief, the king carried his child to the cremation ground. Just then, Goddess Shasthi appeared in a divine chariot. She is known as Shasthi because she is manifested from Devasena, the mind-born daughter of Lord Brahma, the wife of Lord Kartikeya, and the sixth ansh (part) of Prakriti (nature). The goddess touched the child and brought him back to life. By her grace, the prince was named Suvrata and became a righteous ruler. According to tradition, this event marked the beginning of the Shashthi Vrat and the worship of Chhathi Maiya for children’s well-being.

The Mahabharata Connection

During their difficult years in exile, the Pandavas ran out of food and suffered from hunger. Their family priest, Sage Dhaumya, advised Yudhishthir to worship the Surya Dev and chant his 108 names. Yudhishthir offered his prayers with complete devotion.

Pleased by his prayers, Surya Dev blessed him with the Akshaya Patra, a divine vessel that never ran out of food until Draupadi finished her meal. This legend is found in Chapter 3 of the Vana Parva in the Mahabharata.

Folk traditions also link Chhath directly to this legacy of Sun worship. Karna, the son of Surya Dev, offered arghya to the Sun while standing in water, and Draupadi is also believed to have observed the Chhath fast for the Pandavas' well-being.

The Legend of Samba

According to traditions found in the Bhavishya Puran and the Samba Puran, Samba, the son of Sri Krishna, was cured of leprosy through the worship of Surya Dev. This is one reason why the Sun God is regarded as the god of health and healing. The Sun temples at Konark and Deo stand as reminders of this ancient tradition of sun worship.

The Ramayana Connection in Folk Tradition

In Bihar and the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, local tradition holds that after their victory over Lanka, Sri Ram and Ma Sita observed a fast and offered arghya to Surya Dev on Kartik Shukla Shashthi (the sixth day of the bright fortnight of Kartik). This legend lives deep in folk tradition and is shared as an act of faith rather than a scriptural record.

Ultimately, Chhath is not rooted in a single legend alone. It brings together three distinct threads: ancient Vedic Sun worship, the Puranic legends of Goddess Shasthi, and traditions preserved in folk memory.

Who Is Chhathi Maiya and Why Is She Called Vidhata Mata?

Chhathi Maiya is the presiding deity of the Chhath festival. In the Puranas, she is known as Goddess Shasthi, who protects the children and blesses them with a long life.

According to a popular belief in North India, on the sixth night after a child is born, Vidhata (the divine creator of destiny) writes the child's fate. So, the tradition of performing Chhathi Puja on the sixth day after a child's birth is a widespread custom across large parts of the country.

For this reason, Chhathi Maiya is revered as Vidhata Mata, and devotees pray to her for the safety and long life of their children. During Chhath, observed on Kartik Shukla Shashthi, devotees worship her along with Surya Dev.

Auspicious Timings for Chhath Puja 2026

The Sandhya (Evening) Arghya and Morning (Usha) Arghya hold special significance in Chhath Puja. Devotees offer prayers to Chhathi Maiya and Surya Dev by offering to both the setting and rising sun.

Chhath Puja Rituals

Day 1: Nahay Khay

On the first day, devotees bathe in a sacred river or water-body and clean their homes. They prepare a simple and sattvic meal, usually consisting of pumpkin curry, chana dal and arwa rice. Arwa is a type of raw rice made by grinding rice from the field, without soaking or steaming it first.

Day 2: Kharna

The second day of Chhath Puja is known as Kharna. Devotees observe a fast without food or water throughout the day. In the evening, after bathing, they offer prayers to Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya. They then prepare prasad made of jaggery-based rice pudding (rasiyaav) and rotis made from wheat flour.

Traditionally, they prepare this prasad over mango wood on a new earthen stove, maintaining cleanliness and purity. After consuming the prasad, devotees begin an intense 36-hour fast without food or water. It continues until they offer arghya to the rising sun the following morning.

Day 3: Sandhya Arghya (Evening Offering to the Sun)

A traditional sweet called thekua, made from wheat flour, jaggery, and clarified butter (ghee), is placed inside a bamboo basket (soop) alongside fruits, sugarcane, and coconut. The families standing waist-deep in the water offer the first arghya to the setting sun. As the music of folk songs fills the air, the rows of glowing lamps illuminate the banks.

Day 4: Usha Arghya (Morning Offering to the Sun)

Before dawn, devotees gather at the riverbank once again. They offer final arghya to the rising sun and do the parana (breaking the fast). The prasad is then distributed among family members, relatives and others.

Perform Abhishekam of Suryanarayan Dev with the Surya Mandala Stotram by clicking on the ‘Amravati’ icon on the Sadhana app.

Chhath Celebrations Across India And The World

(Devotees celebrating Chhath Puja in India and abroad)

Chhath originated in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh, but it is celebrated across India. Indian communities living abroad also observe it with devotion, enthusiasm, and traditional customs. From the Yamuna ghats in Delhi and Juhu Beach in Mumbai to the banks of the Ganga in Kolkata and towns across Assam and Odisha, all witness Chhath celebrations.

A clear distinction is worth noting here. The Chhath festival is primarily rooted in Bihar, Jharkhand, Purvanchal, and Nepal. Nepal's Terai region, particularly in Janakpur, celebrates the festival with immense joy.

Through the Girmitiya tradition, people of Indian origin carried the festival to Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname. Today, Indians living in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Gulf countries also offer arghya at local rivers, lakes and beaches. In many places, special permissions are obtained to set up temporary ghats for the celebrations.