Chhath Puja in Chandigarh

Date and timing in this city

Chhath Puja falls on Kartik Shukla Shashthi, the sixth tithi of the bright fortnight of Kartik. In Chandigarh, the observance is dated by the city's own sunrise and by the tithi prevailing at that sunrise, which is why the local date is the one to follow rather than a date carried over from another region.

For Chandigarh (चंडीगढ़), the dates given are:

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

Chandigarh keeps Asia/Kolkata as its time zone, so the sunrise used in the panchang for the city is the local one for that zone. The four-day cycle of Chhath moves from the first day through the Kharna, then the evening arghya to the setting sun and the morning arghya to the rising sun. Because the whole cycle is anchored to the Shashthi tithi, the days around it shift together when the tithi shifts.

Why the date can differ from India

A single "India date" is a convenience, not a rule. The tithi is a moving span of time, and different cities cross into Shashthi at different moments relative to their own sunrise. When the tithi boundary falls close to sunrise, one city may observe on one day while another observes on the next.

Regional practice also varies. Some communities follow the amanta reckoning and others the purnimanta; the naming of months and fortnights can differ between North and South, and between Smarta and Vaishnava conventions. These are living traditions, and where they differ it is best to follow the panchang and the family or community custom you observe. For personal charts and vrat questions, consult a qualified jyotishi.

Where and how the community celebrates

Chhath Puja is centred on Surya and Chhathi Maiya, and its defining act is sun worship at rivers — offerings made standing in or beside water at sunset and again at sunrise. The tradition is most closely associated with Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal, and families from those regions carry it with them wherever they live, including Chandigarh.

In a city setting, vratis and their families typically gather at a water's edge for the two arghya, with the same offerings and the same restraint as at home. The form of the ritual is what matters, not the size of the gathering.

Practical tips

• Confirm the local sunrise and the Shashthi tithi for Chandigarh before fixing your days, since the cycle follows the city's own panchang.
• Plan for both the evening and the morning arghya; the two are observed on consecutive sunrises and sunsets.
• If you are observing the vrat, follow the guidance of your family tradition and, for personal matters, a qualified jyotishi.
• Keep arrangements simple and consistent with how your household has always observed Chhath.