Chirag Paswan observes Chhath Kharna at Patna MP's home

Key Takeaways

Chirag Paswan visited Patna to observe kharna , the second-day ritual of Chhath Puja 2026 .

He received the sacred kharna ka mahaprasad at the residence of MP Arun Bharti , his brother-in-law.

Kharna involves a 36-hour waterless fast broken with rice pudding prasad prepared on a clay stove.

Chhath is a four-day festival dedicated to the Sun God, observed most intensely across Bihar and adjoining states.

Paswan is national president of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Union Minister of Food Processing Industries .

On the second and most spiritually charged evening of Chhath Puja, Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan stepped away from Delhi to join family in Patna — receiving the sacred kharna ka mahaprasad (the blessed evening offering of Chhath) at the residence of his brother-in-law and sitting Member of Parliament, Arun Bharti.

Posting on Sunday, November 15, 2026, Paswan wrote that on the auspicious occasion of Chhath — lok aastha ka mahapaarv, the grand festival of people's faith — he sought blessings by partaking in the kharna prasad at Bharti's home.

What kharna means in the Chhath cycle

Chhath Puja is a four-day vrat observed with particular devotion across Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, dedicated to Surya Dev (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya. Kharna, observed on the second evening, is the day the fasting devotee breaks a 36-hour nirjala (waterless) fast with a carefully prepared offering of rasiao-kheer (rice pudding with jaggery) and rice rotis cooked on a clay stove — then distributed as prasad to family and neighbours as a blessing. Receiving this prasad is considered deeply auspicious.

Chhath, Patna, and Bihar's political calendar

For Bihar's political class, Chhath is not simply a religious observance — it is the year's most visible moment of cultural solidarity with constituents. Chirag Paswan, as the face of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and a Union Cabinet minister, carries forward a legacy of deep identification with Bihari culture that his late father, former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, built over decades. Sharing this moment on social media keeps that cultural bond visible and immediate. Arun Bharti, the host MP and Paswan's brother-in-law, represents the family-and-political network that is a structural feature of Bihar's parliamentary landscape. The Chhath ghats of Patna — particularly along the Ganges — draw hundreds of thousands of devotees across these four days, making the festival the city's most defining annual event. As the sunset arghya and the final sunrise offering approach, Paswan's presence in Patna signals that for Bihar's leaders, no political calendar supersedes the rhythm of Chhath.

Point of View

Chhath Puja observance is as much a public statement of cultural identity as it is a private religious act. Chirag Paswan's decision to travel to Patna for kharna — and to document it — signals his continued effort to embody the Bihari cultural ethos his father Ram Vilas Paswan made central to LJP's brand equity. As a Union Cabinet minister with an eye on Bihar's electoral arithmetic, these visible acts of community participation carry strategic weight beyond mere personal piety. The post reinforces family ties — specifically the Bharti connection — that remain important nodes in the LJP's organisational network.

NationPress

15 Nov 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is kharna in Chhath Puja?

Kharna is the second day of the four-day Chhath Puja festival, on which the fasting devotee breaks a 36-hour waterless fast by consuming rice pudding cooked on a clay stove, which is then distributed as prasad to family and community members as a blessing.

Where did Chirag Paswan celebrate Chhath Puja in 2026?

Chirag Paswan observed the kharna ritual at the Patna residence of his brother-in-law and MP Arun Bharti on November 15, 2026.

Who is Arun Bharti in relation to Chirag Paswan?

Arun Bharti is a Member of Parliament and the brother-in-law of Union Minister Chirag Paswan, with his residence in Patna, Bihar.

What is Chhath Puja and why is it important in Bihar?

Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, observed with great devotion across Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. It is considered Bihar's most significant cultural and religious event of the year, drawing millions to riverbanks for sunrise and sunset rituals.

What party does Chirag Paswan lead?

Chirag Paswan is the national president of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), a prominent Bihar-based political party, and serves as Union Minister of Food Processing Industries in the central government.