Chhath Puja 2025 : Dates, Rituals, and Significance of the Four Holy Days

Chhath Puja 2025 : Chhath Puja is known as a grand festival across the confines of Bihar, Jharkhand, and even Uttar Pradesh, now also extending to parts of Nepal. It is the puja performed in reverence of Surya Dev, the Sun God, and Chhathi Maiya, which circumscribes into performance of this puja very strictly through multiple rituals and also gives a wholesome atmosphere to the rising Sun since it is really otherwise certainly what sets blessing affluence, health, and happiness to each family, standing out as a very unique dedication that can be made by a person before the rising and finally setting Sun.
The festival now extends into the year 2025 on a Saturday, which is 25th October, and continues until Tuesday, 28th October, where indeed these count as four very important days of Chhath Puja. Let’s learn a little about each one of those days and their meanings as to why and how their rituals are performed.
Day 1 : Nahay Khay
Nahay Khay-First day of Chhath Puja, which coincides with the holy bathing in some river or lake by the devotees of the sun, after which they prepare a very simple satvik meal of rice and chana dal with bottle gourd curry, along with purification of bodies and minds, starting this festival journey.
Day 2 : Kharna
This Kharna day is popularly called ‘Lohanda’ because the devotees believe they will still be fasting until this day. At this point, fasting is from sunrise to sunset, without any food or water. At night, special prasad, kheer in particular, is offered by bringing it to the Sun God after breaking the fast.
Day 3 : Sandhya Arghya
On this day, the devotee observes his greatest day of fasting, Sandhy a Arghya, or at least that is how this day is commonly called by the few devotees. The offering of the Oberghya (water and other offerings) to the setting sun will be done by the devotees in their respective rivers and ponds. This is the only day throughout the year when the setting Sun is praised.
Day 4 : Usha Arghya And Parana
The other day, popularly known as the morning Arghya offered to the rising Sun. Hence, by these Arghyas to the rising Sun, all these consummate the 36-hour fast, meaning henceforth, Chhath Puja ends here. Sunrise: 6.30 A.M | Sunset: 5:39 P.M. Greatly symbolizes renewal and hope on this day for blessings upon the family, mostly on health and wellbeing.