Chhath Puja in Bodh Gaya

Date and timing in this city

In Bodh Gaya (बोद्ध गया), India, Chhath Puja falls on Kartik Shukla Shashthi. The observance is dedicated to Surya and Chhathi Maiya, and is marked by sun worship at rivers.

For Bodh Gaya, the published dates are:

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

Bodh Gaya follows the Asia/Kolkata time zone. The date above is computed for Bodh Gaya's own sunrise, so the vrat and the evening and morning arghya are kept according to local sunrise and sunset rather than a single pan-India clock time.

Why the date can differ from India

A festival date is not a fixed calendar entry. It is derived from the tithi, and the tithi is read against the sunrise of a given place. Because sunrise occurs at slightly different moments across the country, the tithi that is current at sunrise in one city may not be the same tithi current at sunrise in another.

This is why a Chhath Puja date listed for India as a whole and the date computed for Bodh Gaya's own sunrise can differ. The difference is usually a matter of a day, and it follows from local sunrise, not from any change in the festival itself.

Where traditions differ — for example in the use of amanta or purnimanta month reckoning, or between regional and Smarta or Vaishnava conventions — the same tithi may be named or sequenced differently. It is best to follow the panchangam in use in your own family or region, and to consult a qualified jyotishi for personal chart questions.

Where and how the community celebrates

Chhath Puja is observed across Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal, and Bodh Gaya lies within this wider region. The observance centres on sun worship at rivers.

Vratis typically offer arghya to Surya at the riverbank — standing in or near the water at sunset and again at sunrise — with Chhathi Maiya also honoured in the same observance. The setting is the river ghat, the household, and the shared community of families keeping the vrat together.

Practices vary by family and locality, so the sequence of offerings, the prasad prepared, and the songs sung are best learned from those who keep the vrat in your own tradition.

Practical tips

• Confirm the local sunrise and sunset for Bodh Gaya on your chosen date, since the arghya timings follow them.
• Note that the 2026 and 2027 dates above are specific to Bodh Gaya; other cities may observe on a different day.
• If you are travelling, plan around the river ghat and the early morning arghya, which falls before sunrise.
• Follow the guidance of elders or a qualified jyotishi for personal observance details.