Chhath Puja or Surya Shashti is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun) and Goddess Chhathi Maiya. Also referred to as Chhath Parv, Dala Chhath, Chhetri or Dala Puja, this festival is celebrated by a 4-day long cultural ritual; holy bathing, Nirjal Vrat (complete abstinence from food and water), offering prayers to the Sun and distributing sweets. It is mainly associated with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. According to the Hindu calendar, Chhath falls on the sixth day of the month of Kartik known as Kartik Shukla Shashti. Chhath Puja 2024 will be celebrated on 5th November (Tuesday).
Check the Chhath Puja 2024 date, muhurat, importance, history, how to celebrate, rituals, places to observe, traditions, and cultures.
About Chhath Puja 2024 Date and Timings
Here are the details for Chhath Puja timings or Muhurat:
- Chhath Puja 2024 Date: 5 November 2024
- Holiday Type: Regional
- Chhath Puja 2023 Date: 19 November 2023
Muhurat of Chhath Puja 2024
The Muhurat for a four-day puja are:
| Title | Date | Day | Muhurat |
| Nahaaye Khaye | 5 November 2024 | Tuesday |
|
| Kharna and Lohanda | 6 November 2024 | Wednesday |
|
| Sandhya Argha | 7 November 2024 | Thursday |
|
| Usha Arghya | 8 November 2024 | Friday |
|
Chhath Puja History and Significance
Chhath Puja | History and Significance
Chhath Puja is an ancient Hindu Vedic festival in which Lord Surya (Sun) is worshipped; as per popular beliefs, worshipping the Sun god has spiritual and health benefits.
Story of Chhath Puja
It is believed that Rama and Sita observed Chhath Puja for the first time after returning from their exile on Kartik Shukla Shashti which indicates that the holy tradition of worshipping the Sun is as old as the Hindu religion.
Another story for the Chhath Puja festival is of a King named Priyabrat and his wife Malini. They had no child and after many efforts of conceiving, Malini delivered a dead child. The King started losing hope and decided to give up his life. Suddenly, the Manas Kanya appeared and said “I’m an incarnation of the sixth part of the universe. If you worship me with pure mind and soul for six days, you will definitely be blessed with a child”. The King and Queen agreed to worship and were blessed with a beautiful baby.
Why do we Celebrate Chhath Puja?
The festival of Chhath Puja is dedicated to the Sun, which people believe sustains life on earth. The Chhath Puja is also performed to seek blessings from the Sun to live a healthy, longer, and prosperous life. People from the Indian subcontinent and Terai region of Nepal, celebrate this festival as an occasion to honour Mother Nature by holding a 2-day long fast and worshipping the Sun.
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Chhath Puja 2024 Celebrations
Chhath Puja | Celebrations across India
Chhath Puja is celebrated with immense zeal in the parts of North and East India. Chhath Puja is a 4-day long festival with rituals on each day.
Chhath Puja Traditions and Rituals
Here are the day-wise Chhath Puja celebrations:
Day 1: Nahaaye Khaaye: Nahaye Khaye is the first day of Chhath Puja. It means “to bath and eat”, devotees who fast on the day take a holy dip in a pond, river or other water source on this day.
Day 2: Kharna: On the second day, devotees perform the Nirjala (without food and water) fast. A prasad is provided to the Chhati Mata and distributed amongst relatives and friends.
Day 3: Sandhya Arghya: On the third day, Arghya is offered to the Sun in the evening which has many items like sweets and fruits. People listen to the Chhath Vrat Katha and sing devotional songs at night.
Day 4: Usha Arghya and Paran: On the last day of the Chhath Puja, Arghya is offered to the Sun in the morning. People visit the river bank or a water resource nearby to offer the Arghya. They pray for good health, happiness, and prosperity to Chhathi Mata and the Sun. People who are fasting break their fast by eating ginger and jaggery.
Thekua is the most common dish during Chhath Puja. It is a dry sweet made with wheat flour, dry coconut, melted sugar, and ghee.
Best Places to Observe Chhath Puja 2024 Celebrations in India
Chhath Puja is observed mostly in the northern and eastern parts of India. Some of the famous places are:
1. Bihar
Chhath Puja is one of the main festivals to be celebrated in Bihar. People gather together to offer water and prasad to the Sun and the Chhathi Maiyaa. Friends and relatives greet each other and exchange gifts.
- Places to Stay: Hotels in Patna
2. Jharkhand
In Jharkhand, lakhs of devotees gather near the pond to offer Arghya to the Sun. Government and organisations set up the events to celebrate the festival.
- Places to Stay: Hotels in Ranchi
3. Uttar Pradesh
It is considered to be a Vedic festival in Uttar Pradesh which is dedicated to the Lord Surya (Sun) and Chhathi Maiya. People fast during the festival and prepare for the evening offerings and the morning offerings on the next day.
- Places to Stay: Hotels in Lucknow, Hotels in Agra, Hotels in Varanasi
Year-Wise Chhath Puja Observances
| YEAR | DAY | DATE | Event/Festival |
| 2015 | Tue | 17-Nov | Chhath Puja |
| 2016 | Sun | 6-Nov | Chhath Puja |
| 2017 | Thur | 26-Oct | Chhath Puja |
| 2018 | Tue | 13-Nov | Chhath Puja |
| 2019 | Sat | 2-Nov | Chhath Puja |
| 2020 | Fri | 20-Nov | Chhath Puja |
| 2021 | Wed | 10-Nov | Chhath Puja |
| 2022 | Sun | 30-Oct | Chhath Puja |
| 2023 | Sun | 19-Nov | Chhath Puja |
| 2024 | Tues | 5-Nov | Chhath Puja |
| 2025 | Mon | 27-Nov | Chhath Puja |
Other Festivals in India with Holiday Type
| Festivals in India | Day | Date | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Mon | 01-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Lohri | Sat | 13-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Makar Sankranti | Sun | 14-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Pongal | Mon | 15-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti | Wed | 17-Jan | Restricted Holiday |
| Republic Day | Fri | 26-Jan | Gazetted Holiday |
| Losar | Sat | 10-Feb | Restricted Holiday |
| Basant Panchmi | Wed | 14-Feb | Restricted Holiday |
| Guru Ravidas Jayanti | Sat | 24-Feb | Gazetted Holiday |
| Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti | Wed | 6-Mar | Restricted Holiday |
| Mahashivratri | Fri | 8-Mar | Gazetted Holiday |
| Holi | Mon | 25-March | Gazetted Holiday |
| Good Friday | Fri | 29-Mar | Gazetted Holiday |
| Easter Day | Sun | 31-Mar | Restricted Holiday |
| Gudi Padwa | Tue | 9-Apr | Restricted Holiday |
| Eid-ul-Fitr | Wed | 10-Apr | Gazetted Holiday |
| Vaisakhi (Vishu) | Sat | 13-Apr | Restricted Holiday |
| Rama Navami | Wed | 17-Apr | Gazetted Holiday |
| Mahavir Jayanti | Sun | 21-Apr | Gazetted Holiday |
| Rabindra Jayanti | Wed | 8-May | Restricted Holiday |
| Buddha Purnima (Vesak) | Thu | 23-May | Gazetted Holiday |
| Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) | Mon | 17-Jun | Restricted Holiday |
| Rath Yatra | Sun | 7-Jul | Gazetted Holiday |
| Muharram (Ashura) | Wed | 17-Jul | Gazetted Holiday |
| Independence Day | Thu | 15-Aug | Gazetted Holiday |
| Parsi New Year’s Day (Nauraz) | Thu | 15-Aug | Public Holiday |
| Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) | Mon | 19-Aug | Restricted Holiday |
| Janmashtami | Mon | 26-Aug | Restricted Holiday |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Sat | 7-Sep | Restricted Holiday |
| Onam | Sun | 15-Sep | Restricted Holiday |
| Milad-un-Nabi or Id-e- Milad | Mon | 16-Sep | Gazetted Holiday |
| Gandhi Jayanti | Wed | 02-Oct | Gazetted Holiday |
| Dussehra | Sat | 12-Oct | Gazetted Holiday |
| Valmiki Jayanti | Thu | 17-Oct | Restricted Holiday |
| Karva Chauth | Sun | 20-Oct | Gazetted Holiday |
| Dhanteras | Tue | 29-Oct | Restricted Holiday |
| Kali Puja | Thu | 31-Oct | Gazetted Holiday |
| Halloween Day | Thu | 31-Oct | No Holiday |
| Diwali | Fri | 1-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Lakshmi Puja | Fri | 1-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Karnataka Rajyotsava | Fri | 1-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Kerala Piravi | Fri | 1-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Govardhan Puja | Sat | 2-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Bhai Dooj | Sun | 3-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Chhath Puja | Thu | 7-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Guru Nanak Jayanti | Fri | 15-Nov | Gazetted Holiday |
| Christmas | Wed | 25-Dec | Public Holiday |
FAQs
Q. When is Diwali and Chhath Puja?
A. In 2024, Diwali will be celebrated on 31st October and Chhath Puja in 2024 will be celebrated on 5th November.
Q. For how many days is Chhath celebrated?
A. The Chhath Puja is celebrated for four days which are Nahay Khay, Kharna, Shaam Arghya, and Usha Arghya.
Q. What should be eaten on the day of Chhath Puja?
A. People who fast on the day of Chhath Puja eat only fruits and break the fast with Thekua, Laddu, Kheer, and other famous dishes.
Q. What happens 2 days before Chhath Puja?
A. The first two days before the main day are Nahay Khay and Kharna in which people observe fast and dip in the holy water.
