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Chhath Puja, an ancient Sun-worship festival deeply ingrained in the ways of life in parts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Nepal, appeals to travellers and spiritual seekers. In 2025, Chhath takes place in late October, a peaceful and culturally involved time for a road trip from Ghaziabad to the sacred ghats of Varanasi or river cities in Bihar, Patna, and Gaya. Discover why Chhath is unique, how it plays out over four spiritually-charged days, and how to plan your visit.
What Is Chhath? History & Significance
Chhath Puja is a distinctive four-day folk-Vedic festival dedicated to Surya (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya (Usha or the dawn goddess). The word Chhath means “sixth” in Sanskrit and refers to its observance on the sixth lunar day (Shashthi) of the month of Kartika and generally a couple of days after Diwali. Devotees offer water (arghya), seasonal fruits, and thetkua (a thick, heavy, sweet cookie) to the rising and setting sun, and ask for fertility, health, and the well-being of children. Another unusual aspect of the festival is the focus on environmental purity.
Suggested Read: Top Festivals In India That Showcase Its Rich Heritage
Important 2025 Dates And Muhurats
Knowing the proper Gregorian calendar dates to visit is very important, as Chhath varies from year to year. In 2025, the four days fall as follows:
Day 1: Nahay Khay 25, October 2025 (Saturday)
Day 2: Kharna, 26 October 2025 (Sunday)
Day 3: Sandhya Arghya, 27 October 2025 (Monday)
Day 4: Usha Arghya & Parana, 28 October 2025 (Tuesday)
Rituals: Day-By-Day Explained 2025
Following is the detailed description of each day of the celebration, highlighting what you will do, what you will see, and what you will feel.
Day 1 Nahay Khay (25 October 2025, Saturday)
Photo: Milan1969 / Wikimedia Commons
The first day is the day of purification, and the symbolism indicates a purification of the inside and outside before the actual vrat starts. Devotees start the festival with ritual bathing in a river, pond, or other sacred water bodies. The food will most likely consist of rice, pumpkin, and chana dal, which usually contain some ghee. The meal is parv khana, and it is the only meal of the day, as the fasting aspect of the day starts later in the day.
Suggested Read: Celebrate The Famous Festivals In India
Day 2 Kharna (26 October 2025, Sunday)
Photo: Sanket_Mishra / Shutterstock
From this day onwards, the devotees can not drink or eat until the last ritual. A strict nirjala vrat (without food and water) is observed from sunrise until sunset. After sunset, devotees break their fast with prasad, which is generally kheer (jaggery rice pudding), roti, and fruits. The offering is made to Chhathi Maiya and the Sun God before distribution.
Day 3 Sandhya Arghya (27 October 2025, Monday)
It is a ritual of expression of gratitude to the Sun God for allowing life on earth, and every family offers individual prayers along with collective prayers. The evening arghya is the most visually spectacular of the rituals of Chhath. Worshippers go to the banks of rivers or ponds to offer arghya (water and milk) to the setting sun. The scene is accented by brightly dressed women in sarees, along with families carrying baskets of fruits, sugarcane. and thekua.
Suggested Read: Hindu Festivals In India
Day 4 Usha Arghya And Parana (Tuesday, October 28, 2025)
Photo: Kumar Kranti Prasad / Pexels
The four-day period of austerity concludes, reflecting renewal, thankfulness, and the balance with nature. On the final day of the festival, crowds gather before dawn to offer arghya to the rising sun. Standing in water, they offer prayers for prosperity, health, and the well-being of their families. After they offer the arghya, they break the fast (parana) using prasad as the offerings are shared with their families and neighbours.
Key Highlights For Travellers During Chhath Puja
Chhath Puja is more than just a ritual; it’s a cultural experience. During this festival, visitors will be able to experience sacred customs, busy markets, and soulful dance, which help to shape a one-of-a-kind festival experience.
1. Witness The Arghya Rituals At The Ghats
Photo: Amitksachin / Wikimedia Commons
For the traveller, nothing will be more memorable than the impression left by the Sandhya Arghya (evening offering) and the Usha Arghya (morning offering) at the ghats. Standing at the riverbank watching devotees clad in traditional dress enter the river almost waist-deep while they make offerings and prayers to the sun is an unforgettable image. The air is filled with chants, folk songs, and the sights of hundreds of diyas floating down the river. For tourists, these experiences are not just visual but a cultural immersion into one of India’s most interesting spiritual practices.
Suggested Read: Harvest Festival Of Bihar
2. Explore The Vibrant Chhath Bazaars
Photo: Denis.Vostrikov / Shutterstock / Image For Representation Only
In the days preceding the Chhath festival, the local markets become a hive of activity. Travellers can roam through the local markets to see stalls filled with sugarcane stalks, bamboo baskets, seasonal fruits, clay pots, and festival clothes. Shopping here is not about souvenirs alone; it’s about understanding the cultural significance of every item used in rituals. Like, the soop (bamboo basket) is like you are holding a piece of living tradition.
3. Experience Chhath Geet And Cultural Performances
Chhath cannot be separated from a rich tradition of folk music called Chhath Geet, sung in Maithili, Bhojpuri, and Magahi dialects. These devotional songs have been passed down through the generations and tell stories of devotion, nature, and gratitude to the Sun God. You can hear these songs performed live, by an ensemble of local singers in Patna or Ranchi, and even at the Yamuna Ghats in Delhi, where pilgrims flock to sing Chhath Geet, with local residents staging cultural programmes as part of the festival.
Suggested Read: Biggest Festivals In India
Top Places To Experience Chhath In 2025
Here are the top places you can visit to experience Chhath Puja in 2025. Each place is unique on its own and packed with culture.
1. Patna, Bihar
Photo: Sunny Rana Photography / Shutterstock
Patna, in the heart of Bihar, is undoubtedly a hallmark location for Chhath Puja. Because of the rituals, Patna literally becomes a different kind of city with thousands gathered along the Ganga at Gandhi Ghat or Collectorate Ghat. People always connect Patna with Chhath Puja, particularly the grandeur with which the state government plans for the event by putting up barricades to ensure patron safety on the ghats, organising cultural programs, and devotional music echoing across the city.
Key Highlights: Gandhi Ghat evening arghya, large-scale cultural events, illuminated riverbanks.
Nearby Hotels: Hotel Maurya Patna, Lemon Tree Premier, Chanakya Hotel.
Nearby Restaurants: Pind Balluchi, Kapil Dev’s Eleven, Bansi Vihar.
2. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Photo: Chowdhury Arindam / Shutterstock
Chhath Puja is also celebrated across Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India, bringing a different flavour to Chhath. Held at the famous ghats of the Ganga, in particular Assi Ghat and Dashashwamedh Ghat, the celebration in Varanasi combines the splendour of Chhath with the unending traditions of Kashi. The chants of Chhath are accompanied by the sight of the floats of diyas in the river and the priests conducting the aarti, which are unlike Bihar.
Key Highlights: Sunrise arghya at Assi Ghat, fusion of Chhath rituals with daily Ganga Aarti.
Nearby Hotels: BrijRama Palace, Radisson Hotel, Guleria Kothi.
Nearby Restaurants: Kashi Chat Bhandar, Pizzeria Vaatika Café, Brown Bread Bakery.
Suggested Read: Things To Do In Varanasi For A Scenic Retreat
3. Ranchi, Jharkhand
Photo: Amit Rai / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Ranchi gives a more peaceful, yet still powerful experience of Chhath Puja. It is a unique area to visit, especially since the celebrations are not only along rivers, but even at Kanke Dam and Hatia Talab, a different flavour than the typical Ganga ghats. Being at either of the beautiful bodies of water, it is all about calm, natural sights and spiritual feelings that bring an added dimension to the Chhath Puja rituals.
Key Highlights: Rituals at Kanke Dam, peaceful celebrations, and strong community participation.
Nearby Hotels: Radisson Blu Ranchi, Capitol Hill, Le Lac Sarovar Portico.
Nearby Restaurants: The Great Kabab Factory, Kaveri Restaurant, Melange.
4. Delhi
Photo: Shikhers / Wikimedia Commons
Delhi’s Chhath Puja has grown in significance with the migration of people from Bihar, UP, and Jharkhand. The Yamuna bank site at ITO, Kalindi Kunj, and Akshardham will transform into worship centres. Unlike the more traditional geographic centres, Delhi‘s Chhath is a way for the migrants to retain cultural roots while living in the nation’s capital. The ghat and festival arrangements are large-scale, with temporary ghats, cultural programs, and large-scale community kitchens that provide prasad.
Key Highlights: Yamuna ghat celebrations and cultural events at different places.
Nearby Hotels: The Lalit New Delhi, Taj Palace, Radisson Blu Dwarka.
Nearby Restaurants: Biryani Blues, Saravana Bhavan, Karim’s.
Suggested Read: Top Places To Visit Near Delhi For An Enchanting Vacation In North India
5. Gaya, Bihar
Photo: Sudhakar Chandra / Unsplash
Gaya is a major pilgrimage destination that hosts Chhath Puja uniquely. The Falgu River and Dev Ghat come into play, and pilgrims combine Chhath’s rituals with pind daan (the offerings to ancestors). It is more than expressing gratitude to the Sun God; it is also about remembering one’s forefathers. Gaya, already sacred as it relates to Buddhism and Hinduism, becomes even more so during Chhath, and this makes it an interesting place to experience.
Key Highlights: Rituals at Dev Ghat, a mix of ancestral rites with Chhath offerings.
Nearby Hotels: Hotel Royal Residency, VITS Gaya, Hotel Ajatsatru.
Nearby Restaurants: Hari Om Bhojnalaya, Domino’s Gaya, Annapurna Bhojanalaya.
What To Eat
Photo: Biswarup Ganguly / Wikimedia Commons
Chhath Puja food traditions reflect purity, devotion, and community bonding. All ritual foods are satvik—free from onion, garlic, and meat—and made with great care. Thekua (sweet wheat dumpling) is the main prasad, while rasiya kheer, khichdi, and pumpkin curry are also important. Litti chokha, malpua, and street snacks like jalebi and chaat fill local markets. Try festive foods at Gandhi Ghat (Patna), Assi Ghat (Varanasi), Kanke Dam (Ranchi), or Yamuna Ghat (Delhi NCR) during the festival.
Suggested Read: Best Food In Patna
Chhath Puja offers a deeply spiritual and cultural journey rooted in devotion, community, and nature. Whether you’re witnessing rituals on the ghats of Patna, Varanasi, Delhi, or Mumbai, the atmosphere is vibrant and unforgettable. From folk songs to bustling bazaars, each moment captures India’s traditions at their finest. Plan your Chhath experience with TripXL for reliable guidance, local insights, and seamless travel support throughout this meaningful celebration.
Cover Photo: Amit Rai / Pexels
