Chhath Puja 2025: What Is Usha Arghya? Know About The 36-Hour-Long Fast

Chhath Puja 2025 is one of the most revered Hindu festivals and will be celebrated with immense devotion and purity across India, especially in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh. The festival is dedicated to Surya Dev (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya. This four-day festival emphasises gratitude, discipline, and harmony with nature.

Chhath Puja is a four-day ritual that is marked by fasting, holy bathing, disciplined lifestyle, purity of mind and body, and deep devotion. The fourth day of the sacred festival is Usha Arghya. It marks the end of the four-day festival. On the final day, devotees gather again before dawn to offer Usha Arghya, the offering to the rising Sun.

Significance of Usha Arghya (Morning offering)

On the day of Usha Arghaya, devotees gather again before dawn to offer Usha Arghya, the offering to the rising Sun. This marks the conclusion of the fast. After praying for family happiness, health, and well-being, Vratis break their long nirjala fast. The offerings symbolise gratitude, prosperity, and thankfulness for life’s sustenance.

Celebration and symbol

In essence, Chhath Puja is more than a religious observance. It is a celebration of nature, gratitude, and purity. The festival highlights discipline, devotion and the eternal relationship between human life and cosmic energy. Whether celebrated on riverbanks or in small makeshift ponds at home, the emotion behind Chhath remains unchanged: to honour the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth.

Chhath Puja significance

Chhath Puja reminds us that faith, discipline, and cleanliness are key to seeking divine blessings from Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya. Observing these dos and don’ts ensures a spiritually fulfilling and auspicious celebration. On the second day of the sacred festival, Kharna is observed, which symbolises purification of body and soul, preparing devotees for the 36-hour nirjala fast that follows. The rituals reflect deep gratitude toward nature and the life-giving energy of the Sun.