Chhath Puja 2026 Calendar: November 13–16 Dates and Delhi–Varanasi Arghya Timings
The Chhath Puja 2026 calendar runs from Friday, 13 November, through Monday, 16 November, in the Drik Panchang calendars checked for this guide. The evening offering, Sandhya Arghya, falls on Sunday, 15 November; Usha Arghya follows on Monday morning.
For planning a visit or helping family members, keep the four-day sequence and the location-specific solar times together. A single “Chhath date” in a message may refer to the main evening offering rather than the whole observance.
The four-day calendar
Drik Panchang’s New Delhi calendar lists the following sequence for 2026. These dates provide a useful starting point for arranging travel, household help and time with family.
| Date | Day | Calendar observance |
|---|---|---|
| 13 November | Friday | Nahay Khay |
| 14 November | Saturday | Lohanda and Kharna |
| 15 November | Sunday | Chhath Puja, Sandhya Arghya |
| 16 November | Monday | Usha Arghya, Parana Day |
When sending an invitation, name the observance as well as the date. “Sunday evening arghya” and “Monday morning arghya” are clearer than “come for Chhath,” especially for relatives travelling from another city or joining only part of the programme.
Delhi and Varanasi have different solar times
The Delhi calendar lists sunset at 5:28 pm on 15 November and sunrise at 6:44 am on 16 November. The Varanasi calendar lists 5:10 pm and 6:16 am respectively. All these times are IST.
| Location | 15 November sunset | 16 November sunrise |
|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | 5:28 pm IST | 6:44 am IST |
| Varanasi | 5:10 pm IST | 6:16 am IST |
The two cities use the same time zone, yet their sunrise and sunset times differ. Copy the calendar for the place where the observance will take place, rather than assuming a time from a national greeting applies everywhere.
Read the tithi and event date separately
The Delhi Surya Shashthi page places Shashthi from 11:23 pm on 14 November until 2 am on 16 November. It nevertheless identifies the Chhath Puja day as 15 November. A tithi boundary and the date of an offering answer different questions.
This is why a cropped screenshot can cause confusion. Retain the location, year, festival heading and relevant time when sharing it. If a message shows only the beginning of Shashthi, it does not by itself identify which evening the family plans to gather.
Make a practical arrival plan
Ask the host or local organizer for the meeting point and arrival time. A listed sunset is a solar time, not a promise that transport, parking or access to the chosen location will be available right until that minute.
Agree on who will travel together, where people will meet if separated and how they will return after the event. Keep those arrangements in one clear message. If a family member is arriving by train or bus, distinguish the station arrival from the time needed to reach the gathering.
Confirm the actual local programme
A panchang supplies calendar information. A temple, neighbourhood group or public gathering may publish separate arrangements for entry, queues and access. Check that programme directly when planning your visit, and keep a dated copy of the organizer’s announcement.
For the preceding festival sequence, Bootpoot’s Bhai Dooj date guide covers 11 November separately. Do not carry a timing from one observance into another simply because both appear in the same November calendar.
The final check before sharing
Read your message once for the year, once for the city and once for the event. Include whether the time is for sunset, sunrise or the organizer’s meeting point. That small distinction makes the information useful to someone who has not seen the original calendar.
The checked sequence remains 13–16 November 2026, with the evening offering on the 15th and morning offering on the 16th. Use the appropriate local solar times and the host’s programme to turn those dates into a workable family plan.
Illustrative festival-lamp photograph; not a photograph of a Chhath gathering.
