Festival Dates: Saturday, October 25, 2025 – Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Main Chhath Puja Days:

• Nahay Khay: Saturday, October 25, 2025
• Kharna: Sunday, October 26, 2025
• Sandhya Arghya (Evening Offering): Monday, October 27, 2025
• Usha Arghya (Morning Offering): Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Introduction: The Festival of Faith and the Sun God

Chhath Puja, one of the most ancient Hindu festivals, is dedicated to the worship of Lord Surya (the Sun God) and his wife Usha. Celebrated with immense devotion in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal, and other parts of India, this festival symbolizes purity, gratitude, and faith.

Unlike other Hindu festivals, Chhath is marked by strict rituals, fasting, and natural worship, without idol worship. Devotees thank the Sun for sustaining life on Earth and seek his blessings for health, prosperity, and longevity.

Chhath Puja 2025: Four Days of Divine Devotion

The festival extends over four sacred days, each having its own deep spiritual and cultural importance.

1. Nahay Khay (Saturday, October 25, 2025)

The first day marks the purification of the body and soul. Devotees take a holy dip in a river or pond, usually the Ganga, Kosi, or local water bodies. After bathing, they prepare a pure vegetarian meal — typically lauki (bottle gourd), chana dal, and rice — cooked on a new clay stove using river water. This meal is shared among family members, marking the beginning of the fast.

2. Kharna (Sunday, October 26, 2025)

The second day is known as Kharna or Lohanda. Devotees observe a strict fast throughout the day without water. In the evening, after sunset, they prepare a prasadam of gur (jaggery) kheer, roti, and bananas, which is first offered to the deity and then shared with family and friends. After this, the 36-hour long nirjala vrat (fast without water) begins.

3. Sandhya Arghya (Monday, October 27, 2025)

The third day is the most colorful and spiritually uplifting. Devotees, dressed in traditional attire, carry soops (bamboo baskets) filled with fruits, thekua (a sacred sweet made from wheat flour and jaggery), and other offerings to the ghats.
As the sun sets, they offer Arghya (water offering) to the setting sun, accompanied by folk songs and devotional chants like “Chhathi Maiya ke geet.” The atmosphere becomes divine, reflecting the perfect harmony between humans and nature.

4. Usha Arghya (Tuesday, October 28, 2025)

The fourth and final day begins before sunrise. Devotees gather again on the riverbanks to offer Arghya to the rising sun — symbolizing gratitude and renewal of life. After prayers, the fast is broken by consuming prasad, and devotees seek blessings for the well-being of their family and the prosperity of their homes.

Significance of Chhath Puja

Chhath Puja is more than a festival; it’s a spiritual discipline that purifies the body and mind.

• It celebrates the Sun God, the eternal source of energy and life.
• It honors nature and ecological balance.
• It promotes detoxification through fasting and bathing in natural water sources.
• It strengthens family bonds and community unity, as people come together irrespective of caste or social status.

Traditional Offerings and Rituals

• Thekua – A sweet, crispy, and sacred delicacy made of wheat flour and jaggery.
• Fruits and Sugarcane – Symbolic of natural bounty.
• Soops and Dauri – Bamboo baskets used to carry offerings.
• Earthen Lamps (Diya) – Lit during the evening Arghya to honor the divine light of the Sun.
• Milk and Water Arghya – Offered to the Sun during Sandhya and Usha Arghya.

Cultural Essence

During Chhath, villages and towns echo with devotional folk songs that narrate stories of Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya. Women adorn vibrant sarees, sing traditional songs, and create an aura of purity and devotion.
Even in urban cities, ghats and water bodies are decorated with lights, rangolis, and flowers, showcasing India’s cultural unity.

Chhath Puja Beyond Bihar

Over time, the festival has crossed regional boundaries. Today, Chhath Puja is celebrated across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Punjab, and even abroad — especially in countries like Nepal, Mauritius, Fiji, and the USA, where the Indian diaspora has kept the tradition alive.

Scientific and Health Benefits

• Sun Worship: Helps absorb Vitamin D and boosts immunity.
• Fasting: Detoxifies the body and enhances self-control.
• Early Morning Rituals: Synchronize body rhythm with nature’s cycle.
• Community Gathering: Promotes emotional wellness and unity.

Conclusion: A Festival of Purity, Faith, and Nature

Chhath Puja 2025 reminds us of the ancient bond between humans and nature. It’s a celebration of faith, discipline, and gratitude that continues to inspire millions. The rituals, though strict, symbolize self-control and devotion, teaching us to live in harmony with the elements of life — earth, water, fire, air, and space.

As devotees sing “Kanch hi baans ke bahangiya, bahangi lahanga me,” the light of Chhath fills every heart with hope, purity, and divine energy.

Chhath Puja 2025 Quick Glance

Day	Date	Ritual
Day 1	Saturday, October 25, 2025	Nahay Khay
Day 2	Sunday, October 26, 2025	Kharna
Day 3	Monday, October 27, 2025	Sandhya Arghya
Day 4	Tuesday, October 28, 2025	Usha Arghya (Paran)