Chhath Puja 2026: Full Date Calendar (Nahay Khay, Kharna, Sandhya and Usha Arghya) and City-wise Arghya Timings, Explained
Chhath Puja 2026 runs from Friday, 13 November to Monday, 16 November. The main evening Arghya to the setting sun is on Sunday, 15 November, and the morning Arghya on Monday, 16 November. Here is the day-by-day calendar, sunset and sunrise times for Patna, Ranchi, Delhi, Kolkata and more, and what happens on each day.
Chhath Puja, the great festival of the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, falls in mid-November in 2026. It is the biggest festival of Bihar and is celebrated with equal devotion in Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and by migrant families across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and abroad. Here is the full calendar for 2026 and the arghya timings for major cities.
The 60-second version
- Day 1, Nahay Khay: Friday, 13 November 2026
- Day 2, Kharna: Saturday, 14 November 2026
- Day 3, Sandhya Arghya (main day): Sunday, 15 November 2026, at sunset
- Day 4, Usha Arghya and Parana: Monday, 16 November 2026, at sunrise
- Patna timings: sunset about 5:00 PM on 15 November, sunrise about 6:07 AM on 16 November.
Chhath Puja 2026 calendar
| Day | Ritual | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nahay Khay | Friday, 13 November 2026 |
| 2 | Kharna (Lohanda) | Saturday, 14 November 2026 |
| 3 | Sandhya Arghya | Sunday, 15 November 2026 |
| 4 | Usha Arghya and Parana | Monday, 16 November 2026 |
Chhath is observed on Kartik Shukla Shashthi, six days after Diwali (which is on Sunday, 8 November 2026). According to Shubh Panchang, Shashthi tithi begins at about 11:24 PM on 14 November and ends at about 2:01 AM on 16 November, which puts the evening Arghya on 15 November. Most festival calendars, including SmartPuja and BankBazaar, list the same 13 to 16 November dates.
City-wise Arghya timings
The evening Arghya is offered to the setting sun and the morning Arghya to the rising sun, so the right time is your local sunset and sunrise. The table below gives sunset on 15 November and sunrise on 16 November 2026, calculated for each city centre (IST). Allow a few minutes either way for your exact ghat and the local horizon.
| City | Sandhya Arghya (sunset, 15 Nov) | Usha Arghya (sunrise, 16 Nov) |
|---|---|---|
| Patna | 5:00 PM | 6:07 AM |
| Ranchi | 5:03 PM | 6:03 AM |
| Varanasi | 5:10 PM | 6:15 AM |
| Gorakhpur | 5:06 PM | 6:16 AM |
| Lucknow | 5:15 PM | 6:26 AM |
| Kolkata | 4:52 PM | 5:49 AM |
| Delhi | 5:27 PM | 6:44 AM |
| Mumbai | 6:00 PM | 6:46 AM |
| Bengaluru | 5:50 PM | 6:18 AM |
Devotees usually reach the ghat well before sunset and stand in the water facing west with the soop (bamboo winnowing basket) of offerings, and return before dawn the next day to face east for the morning Arghya.
What happens on each day
Day 1: Nahay Khay (13 November)
The vrati (the person keeping the fast) takes a holy bath, preferably in a river or pond, and the house is cleaned. A single sattvik meal is cooked, traditionally lauki (bottle gourd) with chana dal and rice, without onion or garlic.
Day 2: Kharna (14 November)
The vrati fasts through the day and, after evening puja, eats rasiya (jaggery kheer) and roti, which is also shared as prasad. After Kharna the strict 36-hour nirjala fast begins: no food and no water until the morning Arghya.
Day 3: Sandhya Arghya (15 November)
The family carries the offerings to the ghat. Thekua, sugarcane, coconut, bananas, seasonal fruits and other prasad are arranged in bamboo baskets, and the vrati offers Arghya to the setting sun while standing in water. Folk songs of Chhath are sung through the evening.
Day 4: Usha Arghya and Parana (16 November)
Before sunrise, devotees return to the ghat and offer Arghya to the rising sun. The vrati then breaks the fast (parana), usually with prasad and water, and the prasad is distributed.
Why Chhath is special
- No idol, no priest needed: the Sun is worshipped directly, and the rituals are performed by the devotees themselves.
- Purity and simplicity: prasad is cooked on earthen stoves, often with mango wood, using new or specially kept utensils.
- Old roots: popular tradition links the worship to Karna, the son of Surya, and to Draupadi and the Pandavas, though these are beliefs rather than historical records.
Travel and holiday tips
- Trains fill up early. Indian Railways usually runs festival special trains to Bihar around Diwali and Chhath. Book as soon as specials are announced and check the official IRCTC and railway zone notices.
- Holidays: 15 November is a Sunday. Bihar and Jharkhand normally notify state holidays around Chhath; check your state's official notification and the RBI's state-wise list before planning bank work.
- Ghat safety: follow local administration advice on crowded and deep ghats, especially with children and elderly family members.
The bottom line
Chhath Puja 2026 begins with Nahay Khay on Friday, 13 November, followed by Kharna on 14 November. The evening Arghya is on Sunday, 15 November, around 5:00 PM in Patna, and the festival ends with the morning Arghya on Monday, 16 November, around 6:07 AM in Patna.
Dates are based on Shubh Panchang's Shashthi tithi timings and the Chhath 2026 calendars published by SmartPuja and BankBazaar. Sunset and sunrise times were calculated by BharatBeat for each city centre and may differ by a few minutes locally. Information as of 18 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
›When is Chhath Puja in 2026?
Chhath Puja 2026 is a four-day festival from Friday, 13 November (Nahay Khay) to Monday, 16 November (Usha Arghya). The main day, Sandhya Arghya to the setting sun, is Sunday, 15 November 2026.
›When is Kharna in 2026?
Kharna is on Saturday, 14 November 2026. Devotees fast through the day and break it in the evening with rasiya (jaggery kheer) and roti. The 36-hour nirjala fast begins after the Kharna prasad.
›What is the Sandhya Arghya time in Patna on 15 November 2026?
Sunset in Patna on 15 November 2026 is at about 5:00 PM IST, so the evening Arghya is offered just before then. The morning Arghya on 16 November is offered at sunrise, about 6:07 AM IST in Patna. Times differ by city.
›When does Shashthi tithi begin and end for Chhath 2026?
Kartik Shukla Shashthi begins at about 11:24 PM on Saturday, 14 November 2026 and ends at about 2:01 AM on Monday, 16 November 2026 (IST), according to Shubh Panchang.
›Is Chhath Puja a bank holiday in 2026?
The main Arghya day, 15 November 2026, is a Sunday, so banks are closed anyway. Bihar and Jharkhand usually notify state holidays around Chhath, and some lists also include the following day. Check the RBI's state-wise holiday list and your state government's notification.