Chhath 2026 from 13 to 16 November: The four days and the exact sunset and sunrise times

Chhath Puja 2026 begins with Nahay Khay on Friday, 13 November. Kharna follows on Saturday, 14 November, when the waterless fast begins after the evening prasad. The evening offering to the setting sun, Sandhya Arghya, is on Sunday, 15 November. Usha Arghya to the rising sun on Monday, 16 November, ends the fast. Dates are per Drik Panchang, as cited by Hindutone.

In Patna, Sandhya Arghya on 15 November is at 5:01 pm and Usha Arghya on 16 November at 6:07 am. In Ranchi the times are 5:04 pm and 6:03 am. Two panchang sites, Hindutone and Shubh Panchang, give the same times for both cities. Shubh Panchang suggests reaching the ghat 30 to 45 minutes early.

Varanasi's sunset falls at 5:10 pm on 15 November and sunrise at 6:16 am on 16 November. Lucknow follows at 5:16 pm and 6:26 am. In New Delhi, Sandhya Arghya is at 5:28 pm and Usha Arghya at 6:44 am, so families in the capital wait about 37 minutes longer for the morning offering than those in Patna.

Among the cities listed, Kolkata has the earliest times: sunset at 4:53 pm and sunrise at 5:50 am. Mumbai has the latest sunset at 6 pm, with sunrise at 6:46 am. Surat follows at 5:58 pm and 6:50 am. Bengaluru's times are 5:50 pm and 6:19 am. That makes Sandhya Arghya 67 minutes apart between Kolkata and Mumbai.

The offerings follow the actual sunset and sunrise, which change with a city's longitude and latitude. India uses a single time zone, so cities in the east see the sun set earlier on the clock than cities in the west. Hindutone notes that on a riverbank or behind buildings, the sun may appear or disappear a few minutes from the listed time.

Banks in Bihar and Jharkhand are shut on Monday, 16 November, for Chhath, according to the RBI-based holiday list compiled by Angel One. Saturday, 14 November, is the second Saturday, so banks there are closed from Saturday to Monday. The list shows no other state closing banks for Chhath that day.

Hindutone advises staying within marked areas, keeping children close, fixing a meeting point and dressing warmly for the Monday dawn. It also says those who are pregnant, elderly or on regular medication should consult a doctor before the 36-hour fast. Follow your local ghat committee's timing on the day.