# Chhath in Nepal: Honouring the Sun God _Published 14 August 2026_ A few days after Tihar, riverbanks and ponds across southern Nepal fill with devotees, many standing in the water, making offerings to the setting and rising sun. This is **Chhath**, one of the most beautiful festivals in the plains. **Quick answer:** Chhath is a **four-day festival** dedicated to the sun god **Surya** and the goddess **Chhathi Maiya**, held in **October or November**, about six days after Tihar. It is celebrated mainly in the **Terai**, especially around **Janakpur**, and increasingly in Kathmandu. ## The rituals 1. **Day 1:** devotees bathe and eat a purifying meal. 2. **Day 2:** a day-long fast, broken in the evening. 3. **Day 3:** offerings (arghya) to the setting sun, standing in water. 4. **Day 4:** offerings to the rising sun, followed by breaking the fast. ## Where to see Chhath - [Janakpur](/places/janakpur) and its many ponds. - Rivers and ponds across the Terai. - Ponds and river ghats in Kathmandu. ## Etiquette Chhath is deeply devotional. Watch quietly, keep out of the way of devotees, and ask before taking photos. See our [festivals guide](/blog/festivals-of-nepal). ## Chhath at a glance DetailDedicated toSurya, the sun god, and Chhathi Maiya (Shashthi Devi)WhenKartik, about six days after Tihar, in October or NovemberLengthFour daysCelebrated byMaithil, Bhojpuri, Tharu and other communities, mainly in the Terai; increasingly across NepalMain centresJanakpur, Birgunj, Biratnagar, Rajbiraj and riverbanks across the Terai; ponds and rivers in KathmanduPublic holidayYes## The four days in detail DayNameWhat happens1Nahay KhayDevotees (usually women, called parvaitin or vratis) bathe in a river or pond and eat a pure vegetarian meal, often rice, lentils and pumpkin2KharnaA day-long fast, broken in the evening with kheer (rice pudding with jaggery) and chapati, after which a strict fast without water begins for about 36 hours3Sandhya ArghyaFamilies gather at rivers and ponds in the late afternoon; devotees stand in the water and offer arghya to the setting sun4Usha ArghyaBefore dawn, devotees return to the water to make offerings to the rising sun, then break their fast## The offerings Offerings are prepared with great care and purity. Bamboo baskets (soop and daura) are filled with seasonal fruits such as bananas, sugarcane, coconuts and citrus, along with **thekua**, a sweet fried biscuit made of wheat flour, jaggery and ghee, and other homemade sweets. Lamps are lit around the baskets, and devotees hold them up towards the sun as they stand in the water, while family members pour milk or water over the offerings. Folk songs of Chhath, sung in Maithili and Bhojpuri, fill the air. The ghats are decorated with banana trees, sugarcane, lights and rangoli patterns. ## Janakpur at Chhath [Janakpur](/places/janakpur), the ancient city of King Janak and birthplace of Sita, is the heart of Chhath in Nepal. The city has dozens of sacred ponds (sagar), and at Chhath they are surrounded by tens of thousands of devotees and their families, with decorated ghats, lamps and music. Watching the evening and dawn offerings at Gangasagar or Dhanushsagar ponds, with the Janaki Mandir nearby, is an unforgettable experience. See [Janakpur travel guide](/blog/janakpur-travel-guide). ## Chhath in Kathmandu As people from the Terai have moved to Kathmandu, Chhath has become a major festival in the capital too. Devotees gather at river ghats along the Bagmati, including near Gaurighat by Pashupatinath, and at ponds such as Kamal Pokhari, which are cleaned and decorated for the occasion. Many Kathmandu residents of other backgrounds now join in or come to watch. ## The meaning of Chhath Chhath expresses gratitude to the sun, the source of life and energy, for sustaining the earth and for a good harvest, and asks for health, prosperity and the wellbeing of children and family. It is notable for having no priest: devotees perform the rituals themselves, and the festival emphasises purity, discipline and devotion. Many families make vows (mannat) to perform Chhath every year if a wish is fulfilled. ## Visiting as a traveller - Arrive early at the ghats for the evening and dawn offerings; crowds are large. - Dress modestly and remove shoes where devotees do. - Stay out of the water and away from the offerings unless invited. - Ask before photographing devotees, especially women standing in the water. - Don't eat or drink conspicuously near devotees who are fasting. - Combine Chhath with a visit to the Janaki Mandir, Janakpur's beautiful Mughal-style temple. ## Chhath and the environment Because Chhath centres on rivers and ponds, communities and local governments clean waterways and ghats before the festival, and many people see it as a celebration of nature, water and the sun. In recent years, campaigns have encouraged the use of biodegradable offerings and reduced plastic waste at the ghats. Visitors can support this by not leaving rubbish and by respecting the clean-up efforts. ## Food of Chhath - **Thekua:** sweet fried wheat-and-jaggery biscuits, the signature offering. - **Kheer:** rice cooked with milk and jaggery, eaten on Kharna. - **Kaddu bhat:** rice, lentils and pumpkin, eaten on the first day. - **Seasonal fruits:** bananas, sugarcane, coconut, citrus and water chestnuts. Food is prepared with great attention to purity, without onions or garlic. After the final offerings, the prasad (blessed food) is shared with family, neighbours and visitors. See [festival foods](/blog/nepali-festival-foods). ## Combining Chhath with your travels Chhath falls in the autumn trekking and festival season, a week after Tihar. If you are in the Terai, perhaps visiting Chitwan, Lumbini or Koshi Tappu, consider a visit to Janakpur for the festival. The Terai is pleasantly warm in October and November. In Kathmandu, you can watch the dawn offerings at a river ghat before heading off on a trek. See [Nepal in November](/blog/nepal-in-november). ## History and origins Chhath is one of the oldest festivals of the Indian subcontinent, with roots in ancient sun worship described in the Vedas. It is especially associated with the Mithila region, which spans Nepal's eastern Terai and northern Bihar in India, the homeland of the Maithili language and culture. Legends link Chhath to Sita, who is said to have performed the rituals after returning to Ayodhya, and to Karna and Draupadi in the Mahabharata. Over time, the festival spread with migration, and it is now celebrated across Nepal and India and by diaspora communities worldwide. ## The role of women Although men also observe Chhath, it is most often women who undertake the demanding fast and rituals, praying for the health and long life of their families, especially their children. The strength and devotion shown by women standing in cold water at dawn after a 36-hour fast is at the heart of the festival. Families support them by preparing offerings, decorating the ghats and singing. See [festivals of Nepal](/blog/festivals-of-nepal). ## A visitor's evening at the ghat Arrive about an hour before sunset. Families stream to the water carrying baskets of fruit and thekua on their heads, women in bright saris with orange sindoor from forehead to nose, men carrying sugarcane. As the sun drops, devotees wade into the water and turn to face it, holding up their offerings while relatives pour milk over the baskets and folk songs rise from loudspeakers and voices. Lamps glow along the banks as darkness falls. Many families stay late, and some keep vigil until the dawn offering. It is a deeply moving scene, and visitors who watch quietly are almost always welcomed. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Chhath? A festival honouring the sun god Surya and Chhathi Maiya. ### When is Chhath? In October or November, about six days after Tihar. ### Where is Chhath celebrated? Mainly in the Terai, especially Janakpur. ### How long does Chhath last? **Four days**. ### What is thekua? A sweet fried biscuit of wheat flour, jaggery and ghee, offered at Chhath. ### How long do devotees fast during Chhath? After Kharna, many fast without water for about 36 hours. ### Where is Chhath celebrated in Kathmandu? At river ghats along the Bagmati and ponds such as Kamal Pokhari. ### Is a priest needed for Chhath? No. Devotees perform the rituals themselves. ### Where is the best place to see Chhath? Janakpur, with its many sacred ponds. ### Do Chhath foods contain onion or garlic? No. Food for Chhath is prepared without onion or garlic, with great attention to purity. ### Can visitors receive prasad? Often, yes; blessed food is shared with neighbours and visitors after the final offerings. ### What is Mithila? A cultural region spanning Nepal's eastern Terai and northern Bihar, homeland of Maithili culture. ### Do men observe Chhath? Yes, though it is most often women who undertake the demanding fast. ### What is arghya? An offering to the sun, made by devotees standing in water at sunset and sunrise. ### Is Chhath a public holiday in Nepal? Yes. ### What songs are sung at Chhath? Folk songs in Maithili and Bhojpuri, praising the sun and Chhathi Maiya. ### What time should I arrive for Chhath? About an hour before sunset for the evening offering, and before dawn for the morning one. ### Who is Chhathi Maiya? A goddess believed to protect children, worshipped alongside the sun god at Chhath. ### Is Chhath celebrated in Pokhara? Yes, by Terai communities living there, at lakes and rivers. ### Is Chhath celebrated in India too? Yes, especially in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, and by diaspora communities worldwide. ### How many days after Tihar is Chhath? About six days after Tihar, in the month of Kartik. Web page: https://himalayanhiking.com/blog/chhath-festival-nepal