After 36 hours of fasting without food and water, Chhath Puja 2023 concludes tomorrow morning at sunrise with Usha Arghya which is offered to Sun God and goddess Chhathi Maiyya to get their blessings for a healthy and disease-free life and success and prosperity. One of the biggest festivals in Bihar, UP, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and some cities of Nepal, Chhath Puja is observed with a lot of fervour and enthusiasm. After observing Nahay Khay on November 17 and Kharna or Lohanda on November 18, devotees will offer Sandhya Arghya to the setting sun today (November 19). (Also read | Chhath Puja 2023: What is Sandhya Arghya? Know the shubh muhurat, timings, significance and rituals for day 3 of the festival)
Sandhya Ghat or Sandhya Arghya is observed on the Day 3 of Chhath Puja and while the devotees observe a strict fast without food and water, the entire day is spent preparing for the evening ritual for which a daura or basket made of bamboo sticks is filled with offerings that include thekua, daabh nimbu, apple, peda, sugarcane and other seasonal fruits. In the evening at the time of Arghya, devotees gather around the pond or river where the rituals are to be performed along with their family members singing folk songs and waiting for the sunset time. They carry with them the offerings for Chhath Maiyya and Surya Bhagwan. At the time of sunset, puja begins and vratis offer arghya and other bhog items to Lord Sun and Goddess Chhathi Maiyya. After the evening arghya, devotees return home and continue their fast throughout the night.
Usha Arghya marks the end of the festival with an offering to the rising sun. Devotees wake up few hours before sunrise to make all the preparations for the morning rituals. Once again vratis, their family members and near and dear ones head to the ghat along with bamboo baskets filled with prasad for Lord Sun and Chhathi Maiyya. The final day of Chhath is even more exciting as this is the day when the vratis can also enjoy delicious the prasad post the morning arghya along with their family members.
City-wise puja timings for Usha Arghya
Check out the city-wise Usha Arghya timings to break the fast on Parana Day:
Patna: 6:12 am
Ranchi: 6:07 am
Gaya: 6:11 am
Delhi: 6:49 am
Darbhanga: 6:10 am
Bhagalpur: 6:04 am
Samastipur: 6:10 am
Aurangabad: 6:42 am
Hyderabad, Telangana: 6:25 am
Chennai: 6:11 am
Lucknow: 6:31 am
Chandigarh: 6:55 am
Jaipur: 6:52 am
Bhopal: 6:39 am
Kolkata: 5:54 am
Noida: 6:49 am
Bengaluru: 6:22 am
Raipur: 6:19 am
Bhubaneshwar: 6:00 am
Shimla: 6:54 am
Dehradun: 6:49 am
Pune: 6:45 am
Bhopal: 6:39 am
Mumbai: 6:50 am
