Chhath Puja 2023

Sun, 19 November 2023 · Varanasi time (IST)

1. Day 1·Fri, 17 November

   Nahay Khay

   First day: Devotees take a holy bath in a river and eat one meal. The house is cleaned and food is prepared with purity.

   Sunrise

   6:16 am

   Sunset

   5:09 pm

   That day's panchang: Fri, 17 November

2. Day 2·Sat, 18 November

   Kharna (Lohanda)

   Second day: Devotees observe a full-day fast and break it in the evening after sunset puja. Kheer (rice pudding) and roti are prepared as prasad.

   Sunrise

   6:16 am

   Sunset

   5:09 pm

   That day's panchang: Sat, 18 November

3. Day 3·Sun, 19 NovemberMain muhurat · 5:08 pm

   Sandhya Arghya

   Main day: Evening offerings to the setting sun. Devotees stand in water carrying bamboo baskets (soop) filled with prasad and offer arghya to the setting sun.

   Sunrise

   6:17 am

   Sunset

   5:08 pm

   That day's panchang: Sun, 19 November

4. Day 4·Mon, 20 November

   Usha Arghya (Parana)

   Final day: Early morning offerings to the rising sun. After the usha arghya, the 36-hour nirjala fast is broken. Prasad is distributed to family and community.

   Sunrise

   6:18 am

   Sunset

   5:08 pm

   That day's panchang: Mon, 20 November

Tithi

Shashthi, then Saptami

Nakshatra

Shravana

Yoga

Vriddhi

Karana

Taitila

Paksha

Shukla

Masa

Kartika

Tithi

ShashthiFrom 18 November, 9:18 amUntil 19 November, 7:23 amThen Saptami · until 20 November, 5:22 am

Nakshatra

ShravanaFrom 19 November, 12:06 amUntil 19 November, 10:48 pm

Predominantly celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, and Nepal, devotees offer prayers to the setting and rising sun standing in water.

Rituals

36-hour nirjala fast. Prepare thekua and prasad. Evening arghya to setting sun at a river or pond. Early morning arghya to rising sun. Breaking of fast after usha arghya.

Fasting

One of the most rigorous fasts in Hinduism — 36 hours without food or water. Devotees stand in water for extended periods offering prayers.

Chhath Puja transforms Varanasi's ghats into a spectacular scene. Thousands of devotees line every ghat along the Ganga. The evening and morning arghya at Dashashwamedh, Assi, and Tulsi Ghat are the most crowded.