Chhath Puja 2026 date: the full four-day calendar
Chhath Puja is fixed to the Hindu lunar calendar, observed on the sixth day (Shashthi) of the bright fortnight of Kartik, a few days after Diwali. In the Gregorian calendar for 2026, that places the festival from Friday 13 to Monday 16 November.
| Day | Ritual | Date (2026) | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Nahay Khay | Friday 13 November | Ritual bathing followed by a simple, pure vegetarian meal to begin purification. |
| Day 2 | Lohanda & Kharna | Saturday 14 November | A day-long fast broken in the evening with kheer and roti, after which the 36-hour nirjala fast begins. |
| Day 3 | Sandhya Arghya | Sunday 15 November | Devotees gather at riverbanks and ghats at sunset to offer Arghya to the setting sun — the most visually striking evening of the festival. |
| Day 4 | Usha Arghya (Parana) | Monday 16 November | Arghya is offered to the rising sun at dawn, after which the 36-hour fast is broken and the festival concludes. |
Exact sunrise and sunset Arghya timings vary slightly by city — always confirm your local panchang closer to the date for precise timings in Patna, Delhi or wherever you're celebrating.
What is Chhath Puja, and why does it matter so much?
Chhath Puja (also known as Surya Shashti, Dala Puja or Chhathi) is a festival of thanksgiving dedicated to Surya, the Sun God, and Chhathi Maiya. Tradition traces its roots back to the Vedas, and it's referenced in the Mahabharata, where Draupadi is described observing similar rituals under the guidance of the sage Dhaumya. Unlike most Hindu festivals, Chhath is notable for worshipping both the setting and the rising sun — a rare acknowledgement, in Hindu tradition, that gratitude is due for both endings and beginnings.
What sets Chhath apart from many other festivals is its intensity and simplicity: no elaborate idols, no priest required for the core rituals. Devotees, called vratins, observe a rigorous fast — including a 36-hour stretch without food or water — and stand in rivers or ponds at dawn and dusk to make offerings by hand. It's this shared, physical, communal devotion at the ghats that makes Chhath one of the most visually powerful festivals to witness in person.
Chhath Puja in Bihar: the heart of the festival
While Chhath is observed across eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and the Terai region of Nepal, Bihar remains its cultural epicentre. The scale here is different to anywhere else: entire cities reorganise around the festival, with local authorities cleaning and decorating ghats, cordoning off traffic near riverbanks, and setting up lighting and crowd management for what can be millions of devotees converging on the Ganges over a single weekend. For visitors and returning diaspora alike, this is what makes a Bihar Chhath Puja trip fundamentally different from celebrating elsewhere — it's not a community event, it's the entire region's defining moment of the year.
Best places to experience Chhath Puja in Patna & Bihar
If your trip is centred on Patna, several ghats along the Ganges stand out for both scale and accessibility:
- Adalat Ghat: one of Patna's most popular and heavily decorated ghats, well organised for large crowds during Sandhya and Usha Arghya.
- Collectorate Ghat: centrally located and easy to reach, drawing a large local crowd throughout the festival.
- Gandhi Ghat: a well-known riverside spot with a strong festival atmosphere and good vantage points for the evening Arghya.
- Kali Ghat: another long-established Patna ghat, particularly busy on Sandhya Arghya evening.
- Digha Ghat: a quieter alternative to the more central ghats, useful if you're travelling with young children or elderly family members.
- Sita Kund, Munger: historically significant, with tradition holding that Sita herself performed Chhath rituals here — worth the detour if your itinerary extends beyond Patna.
If you're travelling with family for the ritual itself rather than to observe as a visitor, arriving a day or two before Nahay Khay gives you time to settle in, help with preparations, and secure a good spot at your family's usual ghat before the Sandhya Arghya crowds build.
Why thousands of NRIs travel home for Chhath Puja
For Bihari and Purvanchali families settled across the UK, UAE and US, Chhath Puja carries a weight that's hard to replicate abroad. It's deeply tied to home, to a specific river ghat the family has used for generations, and to the presence of parents and grandparents who may still observe the fast themselves. Every November, this produces a real and measurable travel pattern: a spike in flight demand to Patna, Delhi and Bihar in the fortnight either side of the festival, similar in shape to the surge seen around Diwali, but concentrated on a narrower set of routes and destinations.
That concentrated demand is exactly why booking early matters more for Chhath than for an ordinary trip to India — flights and onward domestic connections into Patna fill up quickly as the date approaches, particularly from UK regional airports with less frequent India routing.
Planning your trip: flights to Patna & Bihar for Chhath 2026
There are currently no non-stop flights from the UK to Patna, so most international journeys route through a major Indian gateway before connecting onward. Here's how the main options typically compare:
- UK to Delhi, then Delhi to Patna: generally the most frequent and flexible routing, thanks to Delhi's high flight frequency on to Patna.
- UK to Mumbai, then Mumbai to Patna: a solid alternative, particularly useful if your UK departure airport has better Mumbai connections.
- Via a Gulf hub (Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi): worth comparing on price, especially from UK regional airports, before continuing to Delhi and onward to Patna.
- Alternative Bihar airports: Gaya (GAY) and Darbhanga (DBR) can be useful entry points depending on which part of Bihar your family is in, rather than defaulting to Patna every time.
Compare live routing options for UK to Patna flights and Delhi to Patna connections on our flights to India page, or explore our dedicated flights to Mumbai and flights to Delhi route guides.
Booking tips for Chhath Puja 2026 travel
- Book three to four months ahead: the week around 13–16 November sees some of the highest India-bound demand of the year from the Bihari diaspora.
- Build in buffer days: arrive a day or two before Nahay Khay so you have time to settle in and help with family preparations.
- Compare more than one Indian gateway: Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata can all price differently for the same dates — worth checking all three before booking.
- Confirm your domestic connection early: onward Delhi-Patna and Mumbai-Patna flights fill up fast in the days immediately around the festival.
- Consider Gaya or Darbhanga: if your family is based outside Patna, flying into a closer Bihar airport can save a long road transfer.
Extending your trip: Bihar beyond Chhath Puja
Since you're already making the journey, it's worth considering whether to extend your stay to take in some of Bihar's wider heritage. Bodh Gaya, Nalanda and Rajgir — all significant Buddhist heritage sites — are within reasonable reach of Patna and Gaya, making it possible to combine time with family around Chhath with a short cultural extension either before or after the festival dates.
Frequently asked questions
When is Chhath Puja 2026?
Chhath Puja 2026 runs for four days from Friday 13 November to Monday 16 November 2026, covering Nahay Khay, Kharna, Sandhya Arghya and Usha Arghya (Parana).
What are the Chhath Puja 2026 dates day by day?
Day 1, Nahay Khay, falls on Friday 13 November. Day 2, Lohanda and Kharna, falls on Saturday 14 November. Day 3, Sandhya Arghya (evening offering to the setting sun), falls on Sunday 15 November. Day 4, Usha Arghya or Parana (morning offering to the rising sun, breaking the fast), falls on Monday 16 November 2026.
Why is Chhath Puja celebrated?
Chhath Puja is a Hindu festival of thanksgiving and devotion to the Sun God, Surya, and Chhathi Maiya. Devotees observe fasting and riverside rituals to express gratitude for life, health and prosperity, with roots that tradition traces back to the Vedas and epics such as the Mahabharata.
Which god is worshipped during Chhath Puja?
Chhath Puja centres on the worship of Surya, the Sun God, alongside Chhathi Maiya (Usha), with prayers offered to both the setting and rising sun over the course of the festival.
Where is Chhath Puja celebrated the most?
Chhath Puja is celebrated most widely and intensely in Bihar, along with neighbouring Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and the Terai region of Nepal, and is increasingly observed by Bihari and Purvanchali diaspora communities in Delhi, Mumbai, the UK, the US and the Gulf.
What is the best place to experience Chhath Puja in Bihar?
Patna offers the most accessible large-scale Chhath experience, with dozens of decorated ghats along the Ganges drawing huge crowds for the evening and morning Arghya. Munger's Sita Kund is also historically significant and worth visiting if your itinerary allows.
What is the best place to celebrate Chhath Puja in Patna?
Adalat Ghat, Collectorate Ghat, Gandhi Ghat, Kali Ghat and Digha Ghat are among Patna's most popular and well-organised Chhath Puja ghats, each drawing large crowds for the Sandhya and Usha Arghya rituals.
How many days is Chhath Puja celebrated?
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival, running from Nahay Khay through Kharna, Sandhya Arghya and finally Usha Arghya (Parana), when the fast is broken.
What is Nahay Khay?
Nahay Khay is the first day of Chhath Puja, when devotees bathe in a river or clean water source and eat a simple, pure vegetarian meal to begin the period of purification before the main fasting rituals.
What is Kharna?
Kharna is the second day of Chhath Puja, when devotees observe a day-long fast before breaking it in the evening with a meal of kheer and roti, after which the strict 36-hour nirjala (waterless) fast begins.
What is Sandhya Arghya?
Sandhya Arghya is the third-day evening ritual in which devotees stand in a river or water body and offer prayers and Arghya (water) to the setting sun, considered one of the most significant moments of Chhath Puja.
What is Usha Arghya?
Usha Arghya is the fourth and final ritual of Chhath Puja, performed at sunrise, when devotees offer Arghya to the rising sun and then break their 36-hour fast, concluding the festival.
Why do many NRIs travel home for Chhath Puja?
For many Bihari and Purvanchali families settled in the UK, UAE and US, Chhath Puja is one of the most emotionally significant festivals of the year, tied closely to family, home region and generational tradition, which drives a noticeable seasonal spike in flights home to Bihar around mid-November.
How do I book flights to Patna for Chhath Puja 2026?
Most international journeys to Patna route through a major Indian gateway such as Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata, with an onward domestic connection to Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport (Patna). Compare routes and book through our flights to India page for live options for your dates.
Are there direct flights from the UK to Patna?
There are currently no scheduled non-stop flights from the UK direct to Patna. UK travellers typically fly into Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata first, then take a short domestic connection on to Patna, Gaya or Darbhanga.
What is the best route from the UK to Patna for Chhath Puja?
Flying UK to Delhi and connecting onward to Patna is generally the most frequent and flexible routing, given Delhi's high flight frequency to Patna. Routing via Mumbai or a Gulf hub such as Dubai or Doha before continuing to Delhi or Patna can also be worth comparing on price.
How far in advance should I book flights for Chhath Puja 2026?
Since Chhath Puja falls in a high-demand travel window for the Bihari diaspora, similar to Diwali, booking three to four months ahead is recommended to secure both better fares and preferred seating on the busy Delhi-Patna and international sectors.
What is the nearest airport to Bihar's Chhath ghats?
Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna (IATA: PAT) is the main gateway and closest to the city's main Chhath ghats. Gaya Airport (GAY) and Darbhanga Airport (DBR) serve other parts of Bihar and can be useful alternatives depending on your final destination.
Can I combine a Chhath Puja trip with other Bihar tourist sites?
Yes. Bihar is home to significant Buddhist heritage sites including Bodh Gaya, Nalanda and Rajgir, all reasonably reachable from Patna or Gaya, making it possible to combine family Chhath celebrations with a short heritage-focused extension to your trip.
Is Chhath Puja celebrated outside India?
Yes. Beyond Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh, Chhath Puja is widely observed in the Terai region of Nepal and increasingly by diaspora communities in the UK, the US, the UAE and other countries with significant Bihari and Purvanchali populations, often at local rivers, lakes or purpose-built ghats.
What food is offered during Chhath Puja?
Thekua, a deep-fried sweet made from wheat flour, jaggery and ghee, is the signature Chhath Puja prasad, typically offered alongside seasonal fruits, sugarcane, coconuts and other items arranged in a bamboo soop as part of the Arghya rituals.
Is Chhath Puja a public holiday in Bihar?
Yes, Chhath Puja is marked with an official public holiday in Bihar and several other states with large observant populations, reflecting its status as one of the most significant festivals in the region.