Chhath Puja

Significance and when it is done

Chhath Puja (छठ पूजा), also known in Sanskrit as सूर्यषष्ठीव्रतम्, belongs to the category of festival pujas. It is addressed to Surya and to Chhathi Maiya. The purpose is a four-day worship of the setting and the rising Sun, offered while standing in water. That single description carries the heart of the observance: the devotee stands at the riverbank, pond or other water body, faces the Sun, and makes the offering with the household's wellbeing held in mind.

The four-day arc moves from preparation and fasting through the evening offering to the setting Sun, then to the morning offering to the rising Sun, followed by closing rites and prasad. Families plan around this arc rather than around a single sitting, so it is worth deciding early who will fast, who will stand in the water, and who will manage the samagri and the route to the ghat.

The typical duration of the ritual portion is about 1 h, depending on the tradition and how much is included. There is no havan in this puja. It is in person only — the standing in water before the Sun is the observance, and it cannot be done online.

Who performs it and who should attend

The vrat is usually kept by a household member, often a woman, though men also keep it in many families. The pandit guides the sankalp, the mantras and the order of offerings. Others in the family attend, carry the soop and the prasad, and help at the ghat. Children are often present; elders who cannot stand in water may remain on the bank and join the offerings from there.

Because traditions differ, the exact role of the pandit and the family varies by region and by household custom. It is best to confirm with your pandit beforehand what he will conduct and what the family will do themselves.

Vidhi step by step (outline)

What follows is a general outline. Your pandit will adapt it to your family's tradition.

• Sankalp and purification: the household states its intention for the vrat, and the space and the samagri are cleansed.
• Setting up the kalash and the soop: the bamboo soop is arranged with the offerings for the Sun.
• Evening arghya: the family goes to the water and offers arghya to the setting Sun while standing in the water.
• Morning arghya: the same offering is made to the rising Sun the following morning.
• Closing rites and prasad: the vrat is concluded, prasad is distributed, and daan is given as per the family's custom.

Preparing the samagri and the space

Gather the samagri in advance and keep it in one basket so nothing is missed at the ghat. The standard list is:

• Roli (kumkum)
• Haldi
• Akshat (unbroken rice)
• Moli (sacred thread)
• Supari
• Paan leaves
• Coconut
• Ghee
• Diya and cotton wicks
• Camphor
• Incense sticks
• Flowers and garland
• Fruits
• Sweets for naivedya
• Ganga jal
• Kalash
• Bamboo soop (winnowing baskets)
• Thekua
• Sugarcane
• Seasonal fruit

Clean the area where the kalash will be kept, and check the approach to the water. If the ghat is crowded, arrange a spot in advance. Keep a dry change of clothes and a towel nearby, since the family stands in water.

Regional variations

Customs differ across regions. The number of soops, the specific items placed in them, the songs sung at the ghat, and whether the morning arghya is offered at the same spot as the evening one all vary. Some families observe a strict fast, others a partial one. Rather than treating any one form as standard, follow the practice of your own household or the tradition your pandit follows, and say so plainly when you plan the puja.

After the puja: prasad, daan, dos and don'ts

After the closing rites, the thekua, sugarcane, seasonal fruit and other naivedya are shared as prasad. Daan is given according to the family's custom, and the pandit's dakshina is settled separately. Typical dakshina is £51–101 in the UK, $75–151 in the USA and ₹1,100–2,100 in India, excluding samagri and travel; each pandit sets their own fee.

A few practical points. Keep the samagri and the soop clean and covered. Do not skip the sankalp if the family has committed to the vrat. Treat the water and the ghat with care, and leave the area clean for the next family. For anything specific to your own chart or circumstances, consult a qualified jyotishi rather than reading general guidance as personal advice.