( Image credit : AI generated via Freepik | In 2025, Chhath Puja will start on October 25 and will conclude on October 28. )
Chhath Puja 2025 : Day 1 – Nahay-Khaay (October 25, 2025)
The festival begins with Nahay-Khaay, a cleansing ritual that sets the tone for the coming days. Devotees thoroughly clean their homes, take a sacred bath, and stick to satvik (pure) meals. The traditional lunch typically includes chickpea lentils, pumpkin curry, and rice. This day is all about preparing the body and mind, embracing purity, and showing readiness for the devotion and discipline of the next three days.
( Image credit : AI generated via Freepik |Nahay Khay is all about preparing the body and mind, embracing purity, and showing readiness for the devotion and discipline of the next three days. )
Day 2 – Kharna (October 26, 2025)
Kharna is the first major fasting day. Devotees abstain from food and water during the day. In the evening, they perform a puja and prepare prasad, a sweet mix of rice pudding (kheer) and jaggery, on a clay stove. This prasad is shared among family and friends. The fast continues without water until the final day of Chhath Puja, symbolising self-restraint and spiritual endurance.
( Image credit : AI generated via Freepik |Devotees perform a puja and prepare prasad, a sweet mix of rice pudding (kheer) and jaggery, on a clay stove. )
Day 3 – Sandhya Arghya (October 27, 2025)
Sandhya Arghya is the evening prayer offered to the setting Sun. Families gather on riverbanks or ghats, wading into the water to offer arghya with water, milk, fruits, and Thekua (a sweet wheat-jaggery treat). Families dressed in traditional attire sing devotional hymns as the sun sets, creating a magical, emotional spectacle that highlights the festival’s communal and spiritual essence.
( Image credit : AI generated via Freepik | Families gather on riverbanks or ghats, wading into the water to offer arghya with water, milk, fruits, and Thekua )
Day 4 – Usha Arghya (October 28, 2025)
The festival concludes with Usha Arghya, the morning worship of the rising Sun. Devotees offer water to the first rays of sunlight, expressing gratitude for life, energy, and prosperity. The fast is broken with raw milk and prasad, signifying purity, renewal, and the completion of the four-day devotion.
( Image credit : AI generated via Freepik | The fast is broken with raw milk and prasad, signifying purity, renewal, and the completion of the four-day devotion. )
Chhath Puja is more than rituals; it is a celebration of self-control, gratitude, and harmony with nature. From the meticulous cleaning of homes to the emotional riverbank prayers, the festival strengthens spiritual bonds and fosters a sense of community. This Diwali-after festival reminds us of the Sun God’s eternal energy and the power of faith passed down through generations.