The Delhi government has declared Monday, 16 November 2026, a public holiday for Chhath Puja. The festival runs over four days this year, from 13 to 16 November, ending with the morning offering to the rising sun on the day of the holiday. Here is the full calendar, who gets the day off, and what devotees in Delhi-NCR and Bihar should know.
Chhath Puja 2026 holiday in Delhi
- Date: Monday, 16 November 2026
- Who is covered: all offices of the Delhi government, its autonomous bodies and public sector undertakings, according to a General Administration Department notification
- Announced: the notification is dated 9 November, and the government shared it on social media on 10 November, India TV reported
The notification covers government offices. Private offices are not covered by it, so check with your employer. Schools usually follow the Directorate of Education’s own order, so parents should check the school’s circular.
Chhath Puja 2026 calendar
| Date | Day | Ritual |
|---|---|---|
| 13 November | Friday | Nahay Khay |
| 14 November | Saturday | Kharna |
| 15 November | Sunday | Sandhya Arghya (evening offering to the setting sun) |
| 16 November | Monday | Usha Arghya (morning offering to the rising sun) and Parana |
What happens on each day of Chhath
- Nahay Khay: devotees bathe, ideally in a river, clean the home and eat a single simple meal, usually lauki (bottle gourd), chana dal and rice cooked without onion and garlic.
- Kharna: a day-long fast ends in the evening with kheer made with jaggery, rotis and fruit offered to Chhathi Maiya. After this, the 36-hour nirjala fast begins, without food or water.
- Sandhya Arghya: families gather at rivers and ponds, and the vratis stand in water to offer arghya to the setting sun, with thekua, fruit and sugarcane in bamboo baskets.
- Usha Arghya: before dawn, devotees return to the ghats and offer arghya to the rising sun. The fast is then broken, called Parana.
Arghya timings (approximate)
Arghya is offered at sunset on 15 November and at sunrise on 16 November. In mid-November, sunset in Delhi is around 5:25 pm and sunrise around 6:45 am, while in Patna sunset is around 5 pm and sunrise around 6:05 am. Exact times vary by city, so check your local panchang or a sunrise calculator.
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Arrangements at Delhi ghats
Delhi is preparing more than 1,400 ghats with CCTV surveillance, and an 11 km stretch of the Munak canal is planned for devotees, according to India TV. Air quality in Delhi has been very poor after Diwali, so people with asthma, older devotees and children should be careful during early morning prayers. Read our Delhi AQI update before you set out.
Holidays in other states
Chhath is the biggest festival in Bihar and is also widely celebrated in Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal’s Terai. These states usually declare holidays around Sandhya and Usha Arghya. Banks follow the RBI holiday list for each state, so check the RBI website or your branch before you plan bank work in the week of 13 to 16 November.
Why Chhath matters
Chhath is one of the few Hindu festivals dedicated to the sun, Surya, and his sister Chhathi Maiya. It is known for its discipline: no idols, no priests needed, and a long fast kept mostly by women for the health and wellbeing of their families. For millions of migrants from Bihar and Purvanchal living in Delhi, Mumbai and other cities, it is also a reason to go home, which is why trains to Bihar are packed in this week.
Questions to think about
- Should Chhath be a holiday for private offices too, given the large Purvanchali population in Delhi?
- How can cities keep rivers and ghats clean for festivals like Chhath all year round?
- Are cities doing enough to make ghats safe for elderly devotees during pollution season?
