CM Vishnu Deo Sai Greets Chhattisgarh on Chhath Kharna

Key Takeaways

CM Vishnu Deo Sai posted Kharna greetings on 14 November 2026 , the second day of Chhath Puja.

Kharna involves a strict waterless day-long fast broken at sunset with kheer and fruits.

Chhath Puja, rooted in Bihar and eastern UP, is observed by significant migrant communities in Chhattisgarh .

Sai has led Chhattisgarh as a BJP Chief Minister since December 2023 .

The festival's most prominent rituals — evening and morning arghya — follow in the remaining two days.

On the second day of one of India's most devout folk festivals, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai extended warm greetings to the people of the state as Chhath Puja's Kharna rituals unfolded on Saturday, 14 November 2026.

Posting in Hindi on X, CM Sai wrote: 'लोक आस्था के महापर्व छठ पूजा के द्वितीय दिवस खरना की समस्त प्रदेशवासियों को हार्दिक बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं!' — 'Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all residents of the state on Kharna, the second day of Chhath Puja, the great festival of folk faith!' He prayed that by the grace of Chhathi Maiya, the people of Chhattisgarh receive good health, happiness, prosperity, and continuous progress.

What Kharna means — and why it matters in Chhattisgarh

Kharna is the second of Chhath Puja's four demanding days. Devotees observe a strict day-long fast — without water — breaking it only after sunset with offerings of kheer (rice pudding) and fruits at the puja site, often a riverbank. The ritual marks the formal beginning of the main fast that runs until the final sunrise arghya (water offering) two days later. While Chhath Puja has its deepest roots in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, it has travelled across India wherever Gangetic-plain communities have migrated. In Chhattisgarh — a state that shares cultural and migratory ties with these regions — the festival draws sizeable communities of devotees who observe it with the same rigour as back home.

BJP's tradition of festival outreach in Chhattisgarh

CM Sai, a BJP leader who took office in December 2023, follows a well-established pattern among state chief ministers of using social media to acknowledge regional and migrant-community festivals. For a diverse state like Chhattisgarh, public recognition of Chhath Puja signals inclusivity toward communities that have made the state their home over generations. The remaining two days of Chhath — the evening and morning arghya offerings to the setting and rising sun — are the festival's most visually arresting, with thousands gathering at water bodies to perform collective worship at dawn.

Point of View

Reinforcing a broader BJP strategy of extending the party's traditional Gangetic-belt festival identity to newer geographies. It is a soft but deliberate act of political community-building, not merely courtesy.

NationPress

14 Nov 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kharna in Chhath Puja?

Kharna is the second day of the four-day Chhath Puja festival. Devotees observe a strict day-long fast without water, breaking it after sunset with offerings of kheer and fruits, formally beginning the main fast that continues until the sunrise arghya two days later.

Why is Chhath Puja celebrated in Chhattisgarh?

Chhath Puja is celebrated in Chhattisgarh by migrant communities originally from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh who have settled in the state over generations and continue to observe the festival with traditional rigour.

Who is Vishnu Deo Sai?

Vishnu Deo Sai is a BJP leader who has served as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh since December 2023.

What are the four days of Chhath Puja?

The four days are: Nahay Khay (ritual bath and meal), Kharna (sunset fast-breaking), Sandhya Arghya (evening offering to the setting sun), and Usha Arghya (dawn offering to the rising sun).

What did CM Vishnu Deo Sai say on Chhath Kharna 2026?

CM Sai extended heartfelt greetings to all Chhattisgarh residents on Kharna, praying that Chhathi Maiya's blessings bring them good health, happiness, prosperity, and continuous progress.