Chhath Puja 2025: Date, Rituals, Timings, and Significance of the Sun Worship Festival

Chhath Puja 2025: Chhath Puja is one of the most sacred and eco-friendly Hindu festivals, dedicated to the worship of Lord Surya (the Sun God) and Goddess Usha, the first light of dawn. Observed with deep faith and devotion, this festival symbolizes gratitude, purity, and discipline. It is believed that keeping the Chhath fast brings prosperity, happiness, and well-being to the entire family.

Traditionally celebrated with great enthusiasm in Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, Chhath Puja has now spread across India and even among Indian communities abroad. It is also known by several regional names such as Surya Shashti, Chhathi, Dala Puja, and Dala Chhath.

Significance of Chhath Puja

Chhath Puja is a Vedic festival that emphasizes the worship of the Sun, considered the source of all life and energy. It is said that during Chhath, devotees thank Lord Surya for sustaining life on Earth and seek His blessings for health, longevity, and prosperity.

The rituals of Chhath Puja are highly spiritual — involving self-purification, fasting, and standing in rivers or ponds to offer Arghya (holy water) to the rising and setting Sun. Each ritual of Chhath Puja has symbolic importance — from physical cleanliness to mental discipline and environmental reverence.

When is Chhath Puja 2025?

The four-day long Chhath Puja 2025 will be celebrated from Saturday, October 25 to Tuesday, October 28 — right after Diwali and Bhai Dooj.

Here’s the complete day-by-day schedule and ritual guide:

Day 1: Nahay Khay – October 25, Saturday

The Chhath Puja begins with Nahay Khay, a day of purification and preparation. Devotees take a holy dip in rivers or ponds and clean their homes thoroughly. They consume a simple meal made of rice, pumpkin, and dal cooked in ghee — symbolizing purity and simplicity.

Families also start preparing puja items such as fruits, sugarcane, and earthen lamps (diyas) used for worship.

Sunrise: 6:28 AM
Sunset: 5:42 PM

Day 2: Kharna – October 26, Sunday

On the second day, devotees observe a strict fast (vrat) throughout the day. The fast is broken after sunset by offering kheer (rice pudding), fruits, and chapati to Chhathi Maiya — the goddess who is believed to protect children and ensure family welfare.

This prasad is later distributed among family members and neighbors, spreading joy and togetherness.

Sunrise: 6:29 AM
Sunset: 5:41 PM

Day 3: Sandhya Arghya – October 27, Monday

The third day is the most significant day of Chhath Puja. Devotees, usually women dressed in bright sarees, gather at riverbanks, ponds, or lakes before sunset. Standing waist-deep in water, they offer Sandhya Arghya (evening offering) to the setting Sun, symbolizing gratitude for sustaining life.

At night, devotees sing Chhath geet (folk devotional songs) and listen to the Chhath Vrat Katha, keeping the sanctity of the fast intact.

Sunrise: 6:30 AM
Sunset: 5:40 PM

Day 4: Usha Arghya – October 28, Tuesday

On the final day, devotees offer Usha Arghya to the rising Sun at dawn. This marks the completion of the 36-hour long nirjala fast (without food or water). Usha, the wife of Lord Surya, represents the first rays of sunlight that bring new hope and energy.

After performing Arghya, devotees break their fast with Prasad and water, a ritual known as Parana, which signifies the end of the Chhath Puja.

Sunrise: 6:30 AM
Sunset: 5:39 PM

Eco-Friendly Celebration and Cultural Unity

Chhath Puja is not only a religious festival but also a celebration of nature and purity. All rituals are performed using natural and biodegradable materials — from earthen lamps and bamboo baskets to fruits, sugarcane, and Thekua (traditional sweet).

The festival brings people together beyond caste, class, and community lines, spreading the message of cleanliness, harmony, and devotion. River ghats are decorated beautifully, and the sight of thousands of diyas illuminating the water creates a truly divine atmosphere.

Chhath Puja 2025 will once again unite millions in prayers to the Sun God for prosperity and peace. As devotees stand in rivers with folded hands and tearful eyes, it becomes more than a ritual — it is a reminder of India’s deep-rooted faith, gratitude to nature, and timeless cultural heritage.