Chhath Puja in Amritsar

Chhath Puja in Amritsar

Chhath Puja is observed on Kartik Shukla Shashthi, and the day is dedicated to Surya and Chhathi Maiya. The central observance is sun worship at rivers — a vigil that begins with the setting sun and closes with the rising sun the following morning.

Date and timing in this city

For Amritsar (अमृतसर), India, in the Asia/Kolkata time zone, the date computed for the city's own sunrise is:

• 2026: Sunday 15 November 2026
• 2027: Thursday 4 November 2027

The tithi observed is Kartik Shukla Shashthi. Because the festival is tied to the tithi and to local sunrise, the Amritsar date is worked out for Amritsar's own horizon rather than taken from a general panchang listing. Families who keep the vrat traditionally follow the local sunrise of the city they are in, which is why the day can be marked differently in different places.

Why the date can differ from India

A single "India" date is a convenience; the observance itself is local. The tithi may begin or end at a moment that falls on either side of sunrise in a given city, so two cities can assign the Shashthi vrat to different Gregorian days. Amritsar sits far to the northwest, and its sunrise is not the same as sunrise in Patna or Ranchi. Where traditions differ — in some regions the reckoning follows amanta conventions, in others purnimanta, and Smarta and Vaishnava households may keep slightly different sequences — the differences are best read in the context of one's own family practice. For personal charts and vrat decisions, consult a qualified jyotishi.

Where and how the community celebrates

Chhath Puja is most widely observed in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. Families who have moved to Amritsar carry the observance with them, and the essentials travel well: a clean stretch of water, a designated ghat or bank, and the offerings prepared at home. Where no river is at hand, families often use a local water body or a prepared basin, keeping the same discipline of purity and the same two arghyas — one to the setting sun, one to the rising sun.

The vrat is demanding: a period of abstention and ritual cleanliness, followed by standing in water at dusk and again at dawn. In Amritsar, as elsewhere, the community aspect matters — households gather, elders guide the younger members through the offerings, and the songs to Chhathi Maiya are sung through the night.

Practical tips

• Confirm the Amritsar sunrise for your year and plan the evening and morning arghya around it.
• Arrange access to water in advance; if a river is not nearby, prepare a clean basin or local water body.
• Keep the offerings simple and prepared at home, following your family's customary list.
• Dress and prepare according to the purity rules your household observes.
• If you are keeping the vrat for the first time, ask an elder or a qualified jyotishi about the sequence.