The four days at a glance
| Day | Date | What devotees do |
|---|---|---|
| Nahay Khay | November 13, Friday | One sattvic meal after bathing: pumpkin, rice and chana dal |
| Kharna | November 14, Saturday | Fast all day, gur kheer and roti as prasad in the evening; the waterless fast starts after this |
| Sandhya Arghya | November 15, Sunday | Waterless fast; arghya to the setting sun at the ghat |
| Usha Arghya | November 16, Monday | Arghya to the rising sun, then parana (breaking the fast) |
Day 1: Nahay Khay rules
- Bathe in the morning in a river, a pond or at home, and clean the house and kitchen thoroughly.
- The devotee cooks or eats only after bathing. The food is sattvic, with no garlic or onion at all.
- The meal is pumpkin curry, rice and chana dal. Many homes use sendha namak (rock salt) instead of regular salt, and ghee instead of oil.
- The rest of the family also eats sattvic food on these days.
Day 2: Kharna rules
- Devotees fast all day and eat the prasad after sunset, following the puja.
- The prasad is gur kheer, roti and banana. It is considered best to cook it in clean vessels on a clay stove.
- No salt goes into this prasad.
- The devotee eats the prasad first, then the family.
- After the Kharna prasad, not even water is taken. This is where the waterless fast begins.
Day 3: Sandhya Arghya rules
- Prepare the prasad (thekua, kasar) and the soop and daura with complete purity. Do not let anyone taste the prasad.
- In the evening the daura is carried on the head to the ghat. The soop is laid out with fruit, sugarcane, thekua and a lamp. Full list: Chhath Puja samagri.
- Devotees stand in the water and offer arghya to the setting sun. Sunset is at 5:27 pm in Delhi and 5:00 pm in Patna. See the arghya time for your city.
- The arghya is offered with milk and water. Do not offer arghya from a plastic vessel; use a copper or brass lota and a bamboo soop.
Day 4: Usha Arghya and parana
- Reach the ghat before sunrise. Sunrise is at 6:44 am in Delhi and 6:07 am in Patna.
- Offer arghya to the rising sun and pray to Chhathi Maiya for the family's wellbeing.
- Share the prasad at the ghat. Back home, the devotee breaks the fast with prasad and water. This is called parana.
- After the long waterless fast, start with light prasad and avoid a heavy meal right away.
What to avoid during the whole vrat
- Keep garlic, onion, meat, alcohol and tobacco out of the house.
- Devotees do not sleep on a bed or charpai; they sleep on a mat or blanket on the floor.
- Do not touch puja items or prasad without bathing or with unwashed hands.
- Do not eat the prasad fruit before the puja is complete.
- Do not use a torn soop or daura. Buying a new one each year is considered good.
- Be mindful about food and drink around the fasting devotee, and keep quarrels and harsh words out of the house.
Take care of your health
A long fast without water is hard on the body. Pregnant women, elderly people, and anyone with diabetes, kidney disease or blood pressure problems should ask a doctor first. If you feel dizzy or very weak, do not hesitate to drink water. Do not stand in cold water for too long, and make sure someone stays with children and elderly people at the ghat.
Information checked: October 27, 2026. These are traditions and beliefs; give priority to your own family's customs.