- Chhath Puja 2026 runs from 13 to 16 November; Sandhya Arghya is on Sunday, 15 November (Drik Panchang).
- It has no idol and no essential priest, and the 36-hour nirjala fast honours the setting and rising sun.
- The traditional look is a new saree, long sindoor, nathiya, bangles and a necklace.
- Remove or minimise jewellery before entering the water; our guarantee does not cover loss.
- Gold-plated pieces (imitation, not real gold) start at ₹499, with a 6-month colour guarantee and tiered buyback.
On a crowded platform at New Delhi, a suitcase holds a new saree for Ma. Somewhere a phone plays the first Chhath song of the season. Many people are going home.
When is Chhath Puja 2026, and what happens on each of the four days?
Chhath Puja (छठ पूजा), also written Chath Puja, runs from Friday, 13 November to Monday, 16 November 2026, with the main Sandhya Arghya on Sunday, 15 November per Drik Panchang. Confirm sunrise and sunset arghya times for your own city.
| Day | Date | Ritual | Food or offering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nahay Khay (नहाय खाय) | Fri 13 Nov | Purifying bath at home or the river | A single meal of lauki (bottle gourd), chana dal and rice |
| Kharna (खरना) | Sat 14 Nov | Day-long fast broken in the evening; the 36-hour nirjala fast begins | Gur (jaggery) kheer and roti |
| Sandhya Arghya (संध्या अर्घ्य) | Sun 15 Nov | Offerings to the setting sun at the ghat, the main day (sunset 5:28 PM, New Delhi) | Thekua and fruit in the soop |
| Usha Arghya (उषा अर्घ्य) | Mon 16 Nov | Offerings to the rising sun; the fast ends (parana) | Prasad shared with family |
What is Chhath Puja, and why is it called the purest festival?
Chhath, also called Surya Shashthi, honours Surya (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya (Shashthi Devi, identified with Usha) on Kartik Shukla Shashthi, six days after Diwali (Britannica). A smaller Chaiti Chhath falls in Chaitra. It has no idol and no essential role for a priest: devotees stand in water and offer arghya to the sun, honouring the setting sun as well as the rising one. Traditions hold that Sita, Karna and Draupadi observed it. Chhath songs are central, and the late folk singer Sharda Sinha, “Bihar Kokila”, is closely associated with them.
What goes into the Chhath soop and daura?
The offerings are simple and seasonal: thekua (wheat flour, jaggery, ghee), sugarcane, coconut, banana, citrus, seasonal fruit and rice laddoo, arranged in a bamboo soop and daura. Some devotees keep a vow of dandavat pranam from home to the ghat.
Where is Chhath celebrated: Bihar, Delhi, Mumbai and abroad?
| Where | Notes |
|---|---|
| Bihar, Jharkhand, East UP, Nepal’s Terai | The heartland: Patna, Gaya, Ranchi and Varanasi |
| Migrant hubs | Yamuna ghats in Delhi, Juhu beach in Mumbai, Hooghly ghats in Kolkata, and families in Surat, Pune, Bengaluru, Asansol and Lucknow |
| Diaspora | Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the Gulf, the US and the UK |
What do women wear for Chhath Puja, and why is sindoor applied from the nose?
Women traditionally wear a new saree, long sindoor and simple jewellery; the sindoor runs from the nose to the hairline (naak se maang tak), believed to be a prayer for the husband’s long life. Beliefs differ by family.
| Element | Tradition | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Saree | New, often unstitched, in yellow, orange or red | Purity and the colours of the sun |
| Sindoor | Long, from the nose to the hairline | A prayer for the husband’s long life |
| Nathiya and bangles | Nose ring, lahathi (lac) and glass bangles | A married woman’s look |
| Necklace | A traditional necklace for the family gathering | Modest gold, worn with grace |
Tanishka Jewels does not make a nathiya, payal, bichhiya or lahathi bangles, so pair our pieces with your own.
Why is Chhath also India’s great homecoming festival?
Chhath brings migrant families home. Each year Indian Railways runs festival specials, and people travel from the cities where they work to the ghats where they grew up. After a year of city rent and train tickets, the daughter or bahu stands at the ghat beside her mother, and the dignity of that journey is the heart of the festival.
Why does buying gold for Chhath feel out of reach?
A 10 g 22K necklace costs about ₹1,36,750 in metal alone (Candere, 5 October 2026, cross-checked with IBJA), after local prices rose over 60% in a year and jewellery demand fell nearly 30% at Dhanteras 2025 (Reuters (19 October 2025)).
Can gold-plated jewellery be part of a traditional Chhath look?
Yes, as adornment. Tanishka Jewels sells micro gold-plated (imitation) jewellery, not real gold: 2–3 microns of multi-layer plating over a nickel-free copper-alloy base. Every woman deserves to shine at the ghat, whatever her savings.
| 10 g 22K necklace | Tanishka gold-plated | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹1,36,750 metal value, before making and GST | ₹1,199 (3-Layer Floral Necklace) |
| Worry on a long train journey | High | Low |
| After-sale promise | Varies by jeweller | 6-month colour guarantee, tiered buyback |
Should you wear jewellery while standing in water for arghya?
Minimise or remove jewellery before you enter the water. Water can dull plating, and heavy or precious pieces are easily lost in a river or pond. Our guarantee covers colour fading within 6 months only; it does not cover loss. Wear pieces for the family gathering and the walk to the ghat, and see our care guide.
What is a thoughtful Chhath gift for your mother or mother-in-law?
Three gifts suit the ghat and beyond: the Bridal Gold Bangle (₹1,199), the 3-Layer Floral Necklace (₹1,199) and the Bangle 2-piece set (₹499). A mangalsutra from our mangalsutra range is another option.
For your own look, the Surajmukhi Rani Har (₹1,199) takes its name from the sunflower that follows the sun.
Do you deliver to Patna, Gaya, Ranchi and Varanasi before Chhath?
Cash on Delivery is available across India, including Patna, Gaya, Ranchi and Varanasi, and we ship worldwide. We cannot confirm a delivery date here, so please ask on WhatsApp at +91 81428 45928.
What guarantee and buyback come with Tanishka jewellery?
| Promise | Terms |
|---|---|
| 6-month colour guarantee | If the gold colour fades within 6 months, WhatsApp a photo to +91 81428 45928. A free replacement is dispatched within 48 hours, with no return shipping. |
| Not covered | Bending or breaking, loss or theft, and damage from chemicals, perfume or chlorine |
| Buyback | 50% of the purchase price within 6 months; 35% at 6–12 months; minimum ₹100 after that (cash/UPI or store credit) |
Frequently asked questions
With the first ray on Usha Arghya, the fast ends and the family is home. Jai Chhathi Maiya.
A gift for Ma
If you would like help choosing something for your mother or mother-in-law, message us on WhatsApp.
Deepa founded Tanishka Jewels to bring the look of fine gold to the modern woman: jewellery designed with a fashion-first eye, finished by hand and made to be worn, loved and remembered. Connect on LinkedIn →
