CM Nayab Saini extends Chhath Usha Arghya wishes
Synopsis
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini on November 16 conveyed warm Chhath Puja greetings on Usha Arghya, the dawn-offering ritual on the festival's fourth day, invoking new energy and the blessings of Chhathi Maiya for all families.
Key Takeaways
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini posted Chhath Puja greetings on November 16, 2026 , coinciding with the Usha Arghya ritual.
Usha Arghya is the dawn offering to the rising sun on the fourth and final day of Chhath Puja — the festival's spiritual high point.
Saini addressed 'all fasting mothers and sisters,' framing the message as personal community outreach.
Chhath Puja is primarily observed in Bihar , eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand , but is widely celebrated across Haryana due to its large migrant communities.
The post carries no policy or legislative announcement; it is a ceremonial festival greeting consistent with standard outreach practice.
As millions of devotees stood at water's edge before sunrise on Monday, November 16, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini extended his greetings on the auspicious occasion of Usha Arghya — the dawn offering that marks the culminating ritual of Chhath Puja.
Posting on X in Hindi, CM Saini wrote: 'On the sacred occasion of Usha Arghya on the fourth day of Chhath Puja — the great festival of folk faith, purity and unshakeable devotion — heartfelt good wishes to all the fasting mothers and sisters. This tradition of offering arghya to the rising Sun carries a message of new energy, hope and positivity. May the grace of Chhathi Maiya continue to shine upon all families.'
The four-day festival and its final dawn ritual
Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God, anchored in ritual fasting, purity and offerings made at sunrise and sunset on the banks of rivers and water bodies. Observed with particular intensity in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, the festival has travelled across India wherever those communities have settled — including large pockets of Haryana.
The Usha Arghya — the offering to the rising sun — is the festival's emotional and spiritual crescendo. Devotees who have kept a strict, waterless fast for nearly two days wade into water before dawn, standing in offering as the first light breaks the horizon.
Saini's outreach to Haryana's migrant communities
Indian chief ministers routinely extend greetings on major festivals observed by communities beyond their state's dominant traditions, and Saini's message is consistent with that practice. Haryana is home to a significant population of workers and families from Bihar and eastern UP — communities for whom Chhath is not just a religious observance but a cultural identity marker carried far from home.
By addressing 'fasting mothers and sisters' directly, the message lands as personal rather than merely ceremonial — a deliberate register in festival outreach.
Point of View
Particularly in states with diverse migrant populations. Saini's Chhath message signals deliberate outreach to Haryana's substantial Bihar- and UP-origin communities — a vote bank that has grown politically significant in industrial and urban belts of the state. The warm, devotional register of the message, rather than a standard protocol tone, reflects a broader BJP pattern of engaging with folk-religious identity as a cultural bridge. No policy content follows, but the symbolic positioning is purposeful.
NationPress
16 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Usha Arghya in Chhath Puja?
Usha Arghya is the offering made to the rising sun on the fourth and final morning of Chhath Puja. Devotees who have been fasting stand in water bodies at dawn and offer prayers to the sun as it rises, making it the most spiritually significant moment of the four-day festival.
What did Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini say on Chhath Puja 2026?
CM Saini extended greetings on the occasion of Usha Arghya, calling Chhath Puja a 'great festival of folk faith, purity and unshakeable devotion.' He said the tradition of offering arghya to the rising sun carries a message of new energy, hope and positivity, and prayed for Chhathi Maiya's grace on all families.
Why is Chhath Puja celebrated in Haryana?
Haryana has a large population of workers and families who have migrated from Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh — regions where Chhath Puja is the most important festival. These communities continue to observe Chhath with full rituals at water bodies across Haryana's cities and towns.
Who is Nayab Singh Saini?
Nayab Singh Saini is the Chief Minister of Haryana and a senior BJP leader. He assumed office in 2024 and represents the state's BJP government.
When is Chhath Puja Usha Arghya in 2026?
The Usha Arghya ritual fell on the morning of November 16, 2026 , as confirmed by CM Saini's post sent at dawn on that date.
