If you’ve ever walked by a riverbank in North India during the chilly onset of November, you’ve seen it. Thousands of people, waist-deep in water, holding bamboo baskets filled with fruit, waiting for the sun to either dip below the horizon or peek above it. It’s hauntingly beautiful.
But here’s the thing: Chhath isn’t just a "festival." It’s a marathon of faith. Honestly, it’s one of the toughest traditional observances out there. No water for 36 hours? Yeah, that’s just Day 3.
If you’re planning your travel back to Bihar, Jharkhand, or Eastern UP, or if you’re just trying to figure out when to keep the kitchen pure for the Thekua making, you need the exact timeline. Chhath Puja in 2024 falls between November 5th and November 8th. Unlike most Hindu festivals where you just show up for a puja and eat sweets, Chhath is a four-day spiritual overhaul.
The 2024 Chhath Calendar: Day by Day
You can’t just pick one day and call it Chhath. It’s a sequence. If you miss the start, you sorta miss the whole rhythm of the purification.
November 5, 2024: Nahay Khay
This is the "cleanse." Devotees take a holy dip—ideally in the Ganga, but any clean water body works—and then eat a very specific satvik meal. We’re talking bottle gourd (lauki), chana dal, and rice. No onion, no garlic. Period. In 2024, the sunrise is roughly at 6:36 AM and sunset at 5:33 PM for this opening day.
November 6, 2024: Kharna
The intensity ramps up. Devotees fast the entire day. No water. Then, in the evening, after a small prayer to the Sun and Earth, they eat Kheer made with jaggery and Roti. This is the last meal they’ll touch for nearly two days.
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November 7, 2024: Sandhya Arghya
This is the big one. This is the day everyone thinks of when they hear "Chhath." The main ritual happens at sunset.
- The Vrat: 36-hour waterless fast is in full swing.
- The Ritual: Families head to the ghats.
- The Offering: You offer Arghya (water and milk) to the setting sun.
- 2024 Timing: Sunset is expected around 5:32 PM.
November 8, 2024: Usha Arghya
The finale. Before the sun even thinks about rising, the riverbanks are packed. Devotees offer prayers to the rising sun (Usha). Once the sun is up and the ritual is done, the fast is broken with Prasad. Sunrise is pegged at 6:38 AM.
Why Does the Date Keep Changing?
It’s annoying, right? One year it’s October, the next it’s mid-November.
Basically, Chhath follows the lunar calendar. Specifically, it starts on the Chaturthi (4th day) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Kartika. That’s why it’s always six days after Diwali. If you know when Diwali is, you can usually guestimate Chhath, but the Tithi (lunar day) can be tricky, which is why 2024’s dates are so strictly set from Nov 5-8.
There’s also a "Chaiti Chhath" that happens in the summer (April), but the "Kartik Chhath" in November is the one that brings the whole country to a standstill.
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The "Thekua" Obsession and Real Rituals
You haven’t lived until you’ve had a Thekua made on a traditional wood fire. It’s a deep-fried cookie made of whole wheat, jaggery, and dry fruits. But it’s more than a snack; it’s the primary Prasad.
During these four days, the house becomes a sanctuary. The people fasting—usually the mothers or grandmothers, though men do it too—sleep on the floor. They don't use blankets that have been "polluted" by daily use. Everything is scrubbed. The level of hygiene is actually insane.
Why the Sun?
Most Indian festivals involve idols—Ganesh, Durga, Lakshmi. Chhath is different. You’re worshipping a "Pratyaksh Devta"—a god you can actually see. The Sun.
Scientific types often point out that the rituals—standing in water during sunset and sunrise—help with Vitamin D absorption and "solar healing," but for the millions on the ghat, it's purely about gratitude. They're thanking the sun for life itself. And they're asking Chhathi Maiya (the Sun's sister) to protect their kids.
What Most People Get Wrong About Chhath
People think it's a "Bihar festival."
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Sure, it started there. But today? You’ll see Chhath celebrated in New Jersey, London, and even on the beaches of Mumbai. It’s become a global mark of the Bhojpuri and Maithili diaspora.
Another misconception: it's only for women.
Nope. I’ve seen plenty of men performing the vrat with the same rigour. If you make a mannat (a vow) and it comes true, you do the puja. Gender doesn't matter.
Traveling During Chhath 2024? Read This.
If you are planning to go to Patna, Darbhanga, or Varanasi for Chhath Puja in 2024, you need to book your tickets yesterday.
The Indian Railways usually announces hundreds of "Chhath Special" trains, but they fill up in seconds. Seriously. It’s the busiest travel window in India—even busier than Diwali.
Quick Checklist for 2024:
- Dates: Mark Nov 5 to Nov 8 on your calendar.
- Ghat Prep: if you’re hosting, start cleaning your brass vessels (soop) and bamboo baskets at least a week early.
- Ingredients: Get your pure ghee and jaggery sourced early. Prices tend to spike.
- Community: If you aren't fasting, offer to help those who are. Carrying the heavy baskets (daura) to the river is considered a huge act of service.
The atmosphere at the riverbank is electric. Between the smell of incense, the rhythmic folk songs of Sharda Sinha playing in the background, and the orange glow of the sun on the water, it’s a sensory overload in the best way possible.
If you're observing Chhath Puja in 2024, start your physical preparations now. That 36-hour fast is no joke, and the spiritual rewards are even bigger.
Next Steps for Your 2024 Chhath Prep:
- Verify Local Timings: Sunrise and sunset vary by a few minutes depending on whether you are in Patna, Delhi, or New York. Use a reliable Panchang for your specific city.
- Source Your Materials: Ensure your bamboo soop and daura are new or perfectly cleaned; traditional markets get incredibly crowded two days before Nahay Khay.
- Coordinate Travel: If you are using "Chhath Special" trains, keep an eye on the IRCTC portal daily starting in late October for seat releases.