Local holiday in Varanasi on Monday, 16 November for Chhath; government offices closed

The four-day festival ends that morning with the offering to the rising sun, and large numbers of families are expected on the Ganga ghats, ponds and kunds across the city and villages from Sunday evening onwards. Many devotees keep vigil through the night, so the day off lets employees who observe the fast, and those helping their families with the puja, take part without rushing back to work.

When and where: the holiday applies on Monday, 16 November, across Varanasi district. According to the order as reported, it is a local holiday that covers the revenue department in particular, so revenue-related offices and other government offices will not handle routine public work that day. Residents who had planned an office visit on Monday for paperwork should plan it for Tuesday or later.

One local report says schools and colleges will also be shut, but the order as reported speaks mainly of government offices, so parents should confirm with their own school. Banks and central government offices are not mentioned in the reports.

Crowds near the ghats and water bodies may slow traffic in several parts of the city during the festival, so allow extra time if you need to travel.

Details are from the Varanasi district administration's order, as reported by Amar Ujala, Dainik Jagran and Hindustan on 13 November.