CM Nayab Saini extends Chhath Puja greetings to Haryana
Synopsis
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini posted early-morning Chhath Puja greetings on 15 November 2026, invoking Chhathi Maiya and the Sun God and wishing devotees across Haryana happiness, peace, health, and prosperity on the festival of sun worship.
Key Takeaways
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini extended Chhath Puja greetings on 15 November 2026 at 5:30 AM IST .
He described Chhath as the great festival of public faith, purity, and sun worship and invoked Chhathi Maiya and Bhagwan Bhaskar .
Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu festival rooted in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh , widely observed by migrant communities in Haryana.
The message carries no specific policy content but reflects standard political outreach to diverse communities within the state.
Temporary ghats for Chhath observance are set up in major Haryana cities including Gurugram, Faridabad , and Rohtak .
As the first light of dawn touched the ghats on Sunday, 15 November 2026, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini joined millions of devotees in spirit, extending warm wishes on Chhath Puja — the four-day festival of sun worship, ritual purity, and deep folk devotion observed across northern India.
Posting in Hindi on X, CM Saini described Chhath as 'lok aastha, pavitrata evam surya upasana ka mahaparv' — 'the great festival of public faith, purity, and sun worship' — and prayed that Chhathi Maiya and Bhagwan Bhaskar (the Sun God) shower happiness, peace, good health, and prosperity on all. He signed off with a heartfelt 'Jai Chhathi Maiya!'
A four-day festival rooted in eastern India, now woven into Haryana's calendar
Chhath Puja is one of Hinduism's most demanding and visually striking observances — devotees, predominantly women, fast without water for extended periods, stand waist-deep in rivers or ponds, and offer arghya (water offerings) to the rising and setting sun. Though its heartland is Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, the festival has travelled with migrant communities across the country.
In Haryana, a significant population of Bihari migrants — working in industry, agriculture, and urban services — observes Chhath with the same rigour as back home. Temporary ghats are set up in cities like Gurugram, Faridabad, Panipat, and Rohtak, turning urban water bodies into sites of quiet, powerful devotion for a weekend.
Outreach that signals cultural inclusion
For a BJP chief minister in a state that borders the Hindi heartland, acknowledging Chhath is both culturally genuine and politically astute. State leaders across the political spectrum have long used festival greetings to signal respect for communities whose roots lie beyond state borders — a soft but consistent form of inclusive governance.
CM Saini's message carries no specific policy announcement, but its timing — posted at the auspicious early-morning hour of 5:30 AM IST, when devotees are already at the water's edge for the sunrise offering — underscores the sincerity of the gesture. The kicker is simple: when a chief minister wakes before dawn to post a festival greeting, the community notices.
Point of View
But Saini's Chhath message is a small data point in a larger pattern: BJP-governed states have consistently sought to build emotional bridges with Bihari and eastern-UP migrant communities, a demographic that has grown electorally significant in urban Haryana. Chhath, unlike many regional festivals, carries an almost apolitical sanctity — invoking it rarely draws criticism. For Saini, whose government is still consolidating its 2024 mandate, gestures of cultural inclusivity serve as low-cost, high-visibility signals of a broad-tent administration.
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 and Chhathi Maiya, observed primarily in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. It falls in the Hindu month of Kartik, typically in October or November, and involves fasting, ritual bathing, and offerings to the rising and setting sun.
Why did Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini wish Chhath Puja?
Haryana has a significant population of migrants from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh who observe Chhath Puja. CM Saini's greeting acknowledges this community and reflects standard political outreach to culturally diverse groups within the state.
Is Chhath Puja celebrated in Haryana?
Yes. Bihari and eastern-UP migrant communities in Haryana's industrial and urban centres — including Gurugram, Faridabad, Panipat, and Rohtak — observe Chhath Puja, with temporary ghats set up at local water bodies.
Who is Nayab Singh Saini?
Nayab Singh Saini is the Chief Minister of Haryana and a senior BJP leader who assumed office following the party's victory in the state.
What does 'Jai Chhathi Maiya' mean?
'Jai Chhathi Maiya' translates to 'Victory to Chhathi Maiya' — a devotional salutation to the folk goddess associated with Chhath Puja, believed to bestow health and prosperity on children and families.
