Chhath Puja · Surya Shashthi, Dala Chhath
Four days of devotion to Surya and Chhathi Maiya, with arghya at sunset and sunrise.
In 20 days Kartika Shukla ShashthiTimes for New Delhi (IST)
Date, muhurat and timings
Rule: Kartika Shukla Shashthi, with arghya at sunset and at the next sunrise
Chhath Puja timings, Sunday, 15 November 2026, New Delhi
| Shashthi tithi begins | 11:25 pm (14 Nov) |
|---|---|
| Shashthi tithi ends | 2:02 am (16 Nov) |
| Nahay Khay (sunrise) | 6:41 am (13 Nov) |
| Kharna (sunset) | 5:28 pm (14 Nov) |
| Sandhya arghya (sunset) | 5:27 pm |
| Usha arghya (sunrise) | 6:44 am (16 Nov) |
| Sunrise | 6:43 am |
| Sunset | 5:27 pm |
The time after that: Tuesday, 2 November 2027 – Friday, 5 November 2027
All times are for New Delhi, computed from the sidereal (Lahiri) panchang. They update themselves daily and roll over to the next date once the festival has passed. Today’s panchang for New Delhi
Chhath is a four-day festival of thanks to Surya, the Sun, and Chhathi Maiya, loved especially in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. Devotees fast, stand in water and offer arghya to the setting and the rising Sun. Here are this year’s dates and the exact sunset and sunrise times for your city.
Meaning and story of Chhath Puja
Chhath is one of the few festivals dedicated to the Sun as the visible giver of life. It is linked with Surya’s son Karna, with Sita offering worship after returning to Ayodhya, and with Draupadi. It is also remarkable for its simplicity: no priest is needed, offerings are seasonal produce, and whole communities clean the ghats together.
The four days are Nahay Khay (a cleansing bath and a simple meal), Kharna (a day-long fast ended with kheer in the evening), Sandhya Arghya (offering to the setting Sun) and Usha Arghya (offering to the rising Sun, after which the fast ends).
Puja vidhi, step by step
- Day 1, Nahay Khay: bathe, clean the home and eat a simple sattvic meal of rice, chana dal and lauki.
- Day 2, Kharna: fast through the day; in the evening offer and eat kheer made with jaggery, and roti.
- Day 3, Sandhya Arghya: prepare thekua and fruit in bamboo soops; at sunset stand in water and offer arghya to the setting Sun.
- Day 4, Usha Arghya: before dawn, return to the water and offer arghya at sunrise; then break the fast with prasad.
- Sing Chhath geet with family; share prasad widely.
What you will need
- Bamboo soop and daura (baskets)
- Thekua, rice laddoo
- Sugarcane, coconut, banana, citrus and seasonal fruit
- Earthen lamps
- Milk and water for arghya
- New clothes for the vrati
Do
- Use the exact sunset and sunrise times for your city.
- Keep the ghats and water clean; carry offerings home or to designated bins.
- Help the vratis carry baskets and find a safe spot.
- Drink enough water before the fast and after it ends.
Avoid
- Don’t enter deep or fast-flowing water; a tub or tank at home is fully accepted.
- Avoid plastic in offerings.
- Avoid onion, garlic and non-vegetarian food in the home during the festival.
- Don’t pressure anyone unwell to keep the waterless fast.
A small note for each rashi this Chhath Puja
Gentle, general suggestions for your Moon sign, not predictions. Every sign is welcome at every festival.
- Mesha Aries
Your gift: initiative, comfortable going first. Try a short silent sit after the puja; stillness balances your natural drive.
- Vrishabha Taurus
Your gift: patience and staying power. Keep the ritual simple and regular; a steady daily practice suits you best.
- Mithuna Gemini
Your gift: fast learning and adaptability. Chanting or singing with others will lift you; let the words carry the prayer.
- Karka Cancer
Your gift: empathy and emotional intelligence. Devotion comes naturally to you; let the day refill you rather than tire you.
- Simha Leo
Your gift: natural authority and presence. Try a short silent sit after the puja; stillness balances your natural drive.
- Kanya Virgo
Your gift: analytical precision. Keep the ritual simple and regular; a steady daily practice suits you best.
- Tula Libra
Your gift: diplomacy and tact. Chanting or singing with others will lift you; let the words carry the prayer.
- Vrishchika Scorpio
Your gift: depth and focus. Devotion comes naturally to you; let the day refill you rather than tire you.
- Dhanu Sagittarius
Your gift: optimism and faith. Try a short silent sit after the puja; stillness balances your natural drive.
- Makara Capricorn
Your gift: discipline and patience. Keep the ritual simple and regular; a steady daily practice suits you best.
- Kumbha Aquarius
Your gift: original, independent thinking. Chanting or singing with others will lift you; let the words carry the prayer.
- Meena Pisces
Your gift: compassion and kindness. Devotion comes naturally to you; let the day refill you rather than tire you.
Questions about Chhath Puja
When is Chhath Puja?
The next Chhath Puja is on Friday, 13 November 2026 – Monday, 16 November 2026: Kartika Shukla Shashthi, with arghya at sunset and at the next sunrise. For New Delhi, nahay khay (sunrise): 6:41 am (13 Nov). Times change by city; choose yours above.
What are the four days of Chhath?
Nahay Khay, Kharna, Sandhya Arghya and Usha Arghya. The main day, with the evening offering, is Kartika Shukla Shashthi; the fast ends after the sunrise offering the next morning.
Can Chhath be done at home?
Yes. Many families in cities offer arghya standing in a tub, a terrace tank or a society pond. The devotion and the timings matter, not the size of the water.
Why offer to the setting Sun first?
Chhath honours the Sun at both ends of the day, thanking it for the day that has passed before welcoming the new one. It is one of the rare rituals that worships the setting Sun.
Is there a Chaiti Chhath too?
Yes, a smaller Chhath is kept in Chaitra (March–April). The Kartika Chhath shown here is the main one.
How are these dates worked out?
Every festival is fixed by a rule: the lunar month, the paksha, the tithi, and the part of the day (such as pradosh, madhyahna or nishita) in which that tithi must fall. Our engine finds the next time that happens from the sidereal (Lahiri) Sun and Moon and computes the muhurat from your city’s sunrise and sunset. Dates are checked against Drik Panchang. Where traditions differ, such as Smarta and Vaishnava reckoning, we say so above; your family custom or local priest always comes first.
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