Chhath Puja 2024 Date & Timings: The four-day Chhath Puja, celebrated across India and abroad, kickstarts on Tuesday (November 5) and will continue till Friday (November 8), with special rituals performed on each day. The festival is dedicated to the worship of the Sun god (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya (Mother Shashti), believed to be the sister of the Sun. The rituals and the fasting procedure of the festival are extremely strict but immense spiritual gains are said to accrue when the devotees observe them successfully.

When is Chhath celebrated?

Chhath Puja takes place on the sixth day of the Kartik month, which typically falls in October-November. The festival’s first day is called Nahay khay, followed by Kharna. On the third (Sandhya arghya) and fourth day (Usha arghya), the devotees worship the setting and rising Sun respectively by standing in a water body and completing the rituals.

• Nahay Khay: November 5 from 6:36 AM till 5:33 PM
• Kharna: November 6 from 6:37 AM to 5:32 PM
• Sandhya arghya: November 7 from 6:38 AM to 5:32 PM
• Usha arghya: November 8 from 6:38 AM to 5:31 PM

What is Nahay Khay?

The first day of the festival is called Nahay Khay where the devotees take a meal (Khana) after a ceremonial bath (Nahana) in a river, sea or a pond. Water is brought from the waterbody and is utilised to make a stove (chulha) where the meals are prepared. The meal prepared is usually a pumpkin sabzi.

What is Kharna?

The second day of the festival is called Kharna, which involves fasting throughout the day, breaking it only after sunset. The person observing the fast takes the meal of roti (chappati) and kheer (rice pudding) after offering them to the god. Afterwards, the family members and friends gather to eat the same meal on a banana leaf together which fosters a feeling of togetherness.

Post Kharna begins an arduous 36-hour fast in which the devotees do not even drink water – making it one of the toughest religious practices that devotees only get through based on their strong devotion.

Also read | Chhath Puja 2024: Know The Dates, Timings And Significance Of Festival

What is Sandhya arghya?

On the third day, the main ritual having immense devotion ascribed to it, takes place. Devotees, usually women, gather at the water bodies, be it rivers or ponds, before sunrise. Standing waist-deep in water, they offer arghya (offering of water) to the rising Sun, chanting hymns and prayers.

What is Usha arghya?

The same ritual is conducted at dawn, the next day, for the rising Sun, called the Usha ka Arghya. Afterwards, the community returns home from the riverbanks, grateful for the successful conclusion of a difficult festival and for having taken part in it. The prasadam is then consumed as well as distributed in the neighbourhood.