Chhath Parwa

Chhath Parwa is a Hindu festival centred on worship of Surya, the Sun, and reverence for Chhathi Maiya. It is especially associated with Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of Nepal.

The festival is known for disciplined fasting, ritual cleanliness, simple offerings and prayers performed beside rivers, ponds and other water bodies. Families and communities also gather for devotional folk songs and shared prasad.

• Nahay Khay — the opening day, associated with bathing, purification and a simple vegetarian meal.
• Kharna — the second day, marked by a day-long fast followed by an evening offering and prasad.
• Sandhya Arghya — the third day, when offerings are made to the setting Sun.
• Usha Arghya — the fourth morning, when offerings are made to the rising Sun before the fast is concluded.

Gratitude to the Sun — Devotees express gratitude to Surya for light, energy and the conditions that sustain life.

Family well-being — Chhath is commonly observed with prayers for the health, prosperity and well-being of family members, including children.

Chhathi Maiya — Chhathi Maiya is revered as a protective maternal figure associated with the festival and with blessings for family welfare.

Chhath has ancient roots in traditions of reverence for the Sun and natural forces in the Indian subcontinent. Its precise historical beginning is difficult to assign to a single event or text.

Over time, the observance became deeply established in Bihar and neighbouring cultural regions, where local languages, devotional songs, food traditions and community riverbank rituals shaped the form of the festival known today. Migration has also carried Chhath traditions to other parts of India, Nepal and diaspora communities.

At home — Families clean their homes and prepare ritual foods and offerings with careful attention to purity. Traditional prasad is prepared without ingredients that are avoided during the observance.

Worship — Devotees undertaking the fast, often called vratins, follow a disciplined sequence of bathing, fasting, preparing offerings and presenting arghya to the Sun.

In public — Families gather at decorated ghats, riverbanks, ponds and other water bodies for the evening and morning arghya. Folk songs and communal prayers accompany the rituals.

The four-day observance begins with Nahay Khay, when devotees bathe and eat a simple ritual meal. Kharna follows with a day-long fast that is ended after the evening offering and preparation of prasad.

The next day is devoted to preparing offerings and performing Sandhya Arghya at sunset. Before sunrise on the final day, devotees return to the water for Usha Arghya. After the rising Sun is worshipped, the fast is concluded and prasad is shared with family, neighbours and other devotees.

Bihar — Chhath is deeply embedded in Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magahi and other local cultural traditions, with large gatherings at rivers, ponds and purpose-built ghats.

Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh — Communities observe the same core sequence of fasting and solar offerings while incorporating regional songs, foods and local styles of preparing ghats.

Nepal and diaspora communities — Chhath is also observed in parts of Nepal and by communities living elsewhere, often adapting the water-side rituals to locally available rivers, ponds or community spaces.

• Nahay Khay
• Kharna fasting and prasad
• Sandhya Arghya
• Usha Arghya
• Carrying offerings in bamboo soop and daura
• Chhath folk songs
• Kosi offerings and decorated sugarcane structures

Surya — Represents the Sun and the life-sustaining energy for which devotees give thanks.

Arghya — Water and other offerings presented to the setting and rising Sun as an act of devotion and gratitude.

Soop — A traditional bamboo winnowing tray used to arrange and carry fruits, sweets and other offerings.

Sugarcane — Commonly included in offerings and used in temporary ceremonial structures.

Earthen lamps — Lamps are used at homes and ghats as part of the devotional setting.

• Chhath includes worship of both the setting Sun and the rising Sun.
• The main public rituals are commonly performed beside rivers, ponds, lakes or other water bodies.
• The festival is also known as Surya Shashthi, Dala Chhath and Chhathi in different communities.
• Thekua is one of the best-known traditional prasad items associated with Chhath.
• Bamboo baskets and trays such as the soop and daura are widely used to carry ritual offerings.
• Devotional folk songs in regional languages form an important part of many Chhath observances.