Chhath Puja 2025: Jharkhand readies ghats for Oct 27-28 rituals

Chhath Puja, the fourday Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God Surya and Chhathi Maiya, begins on Saturday, October 25 and will conclude on Tuesday, October 28, with major observances across Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of Nepal. State and municipal authorities in Jharkhand said final arrangements at riverbanks and ghats are being completed to handle large congregations of devotees who will perform rituals at sunrise and sunset.

The festival follows a strict sequence of rituals. The first day, Nahay Khay, on October 25, begins with a ritual bath and a sattvic meal. The second day, Kharna, on October 26, is marked by a daylong fast that is broken after sunset with prasad such as kheer, puris and fruits. The main observance, Sandhya Arghya, is held on the evening of October 27 when devotees offer arghya to the setting sun while standing in water. The celebration concludes on the morning of October 28 with Usha Arghya, when offerings are presented to the rising sun and fasts are broken, often after a continuous 36 hour nirjala fast.

Timing for the principal ceremonies centers on sunset on October 27 and sunrise on October 28. According to the traditional...