Chhath Puja Begins With Nahay Khay Across India

Chhath Puja began in Bihar and other parts of India on November 13 with Nahay Khay, the first of four days of rituals dedicated to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya. Devotees gathered at riverside ghats, including along the Ganga, to bathe and begin the observance. The festival is scheduled to conclude November 16 with Usha Arghya, prayers to the rising Sun, followed by the end of the fast.

Nahay Khay traditionally begins with a bath and a simple meal. Accounts of the opening-day meal describe rice, chana dal and bottle gourd, also known as lauki. Devotees observing the fast maintain dietary restrictions and cleanliness during the festival. The rituals are generally performed at rivers, ponds and other water bodies rather than through elaborate temple ceremonies.

The second day, Kharna, falls on November 14. Devotees fast during the day and prepare offerings, commonly jaggery-based kheer and roti, before resuming the fast after the evening ritual. The subsequent observance includes a roughly 36-hour fast without food or water for those following the traditional nirjala vrat.

On November 15, devotees are scheduled to gather at water bodies for Sandhya Arghya, the offering to the...