Chirag Paswan offers Sandhya Arghya with family on Chhath
Synopsis
Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan observed Chhath Puja's Sandhya Arghya with his family on 15 November 2026, sharing 11 photographs and praying for happiness, peace, and prosperity on the festival dedicated to the Sun God.
Key Takeaways
Chirag Paswan , Union Minister of Food Processing Industries and LJP (Ram Vilas) president, observed Chhath Puja Sandhya Arghya with his family on 15 November 2026 .
He offered prayers to the setting Sun God (Bhagwan Bhaskar) , seeking happiness, peace, and prosperity.
Paswan posted 11 photographs from the occasion on X.
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival observed mainly in Bihar , eastern Uttar Pradesh , and Nepal , cutting across caste and class lines.
The festival holds particular political and cultural significance for the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) , which has long identified with Bihar's Bihari diaspora and electorate.
As the setting sun touched the horizon on Chhath Puja's Sandhya Arghya evening, Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan stood at the water's edge with his family, joining millions of devotees in offering prayers to Bhagwan Bhaskar — the Sun God — seeking happiness, peace, and prosperity.
Paswan shared the moment on X, writing: 'Lok astha ke mahaparv Chhath ke pavan avsar par saparivar astaachalgami Bhagwan Bhaskar ko Sandhya Arghya arpit kar sukh, shanti evam samridhi ki kamna ki.' — 'On the sacred occasion of Chhath, the great festival of people's faith, I offered the evening Arghya to the setting Sun God along with my family, praying for happiness, peace and prosperity.'
Why Chhath carries special weight in Bihar politics
Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God, observed with riverbank rituals predominantly across Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal. Unlike many festivals that follow caste or community lines, Chhath cuts across social boundaries — making it one of the most politically resonant observances in the region.
For Paswan, as national president of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and a prominent face of Bihar's political landscape, participating visibly in Chhath is both an act of personal faith and a signal of deep cultural rootedness. His late father and party founder, Ram Vilas Paswan, made the festival central to the LJP's identity among Bihari voters for decades.
Eleven images, one moment of faith
Paswan posted 11 photographs alongside the message, capturing the family's participation in the Sandhya Arghya — the evening ritual in which devotees wade into water and offer prayers to the sun as it descends. The imagery reinforces the personal, not political, texture of the post: family, water, fading light, devotion.
Indian ministers and MPs routinely mark major Hindu festivals on social media to sustain cultural visibility, but Chhath carries a weight beyond routine outreach — it is the heartbeat of Bihari identity, observed by communities across class and caste with equal fervour.
As the sun set on this year's Chhath, Chirag Paswan's message was clear: some festivals are not about politics — they are about belonging.
Point of View
Cultural visibility is inseparable from electoral credibility. Chhath is uniquely powerful because it transcends caste — a rare common denominator in a state defined by identity politics. For the LJP (Ram Vilas), maintaining its emotional connection to this festival is part of preserving the legacy Ram Vilas Paswan built over three decades. The post carries no policy signal, but its political subtext — 'we belong to Bihar's soil' — is unmistakable.
NationPress
15 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chhath Puja and when is it celebrated?
Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God, observed mainly in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal. It involves riverbank rituals including an evening offering called Sandhya Arghya and a dawn offering, and falls in the Hindu month of Kartik.
What is Sandhya Arghya in Chhath Puja?
Sandhya Arghya is the evening ritual of Chhath Puja in which devotees stand in water and offer prayers to the setting sun. It is one of the most visually iconic moments of the four-day festival.
Why is Chhath Puja important in Bihar politics?
Chhath Puja is observed across caste and class lines in Bihar, making it one of the few festivals with near-universal resonance in the state. Politicians who visibly participate signal cultural solidarity with voters, particularly Bihari communities both within the state and in the diaspora.
Who is Chirag Paswan?
Chirag Paswan is the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries in the Government of India and the national president of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). He is the son of the late Ram Vilas Paswan, founder of the LJP, and represents Bihar in Parliament.
What did Chirag Paswan post on X for Chhath Puja 2026?
Chirag Paswan posted 11 photographs on X on 15 November 2026 showing him and his family observing the Sandhya Arghya ritual, accompanied by a message praying for happiness, peace, and prosperity on the occasion of Chhath Puja.
