CM Yogi extends Chhath Puja greetings to UP devotees
Synopsis
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath greeted devotees and state residents on Chhath Puja, praying that Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya bring happiness, peace, prosperity and good health to all faithful.
Key Takeaways
CM Yogi Adityanath posted Chhath Puja greetings in Hindi on 15 November 2026 .
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival dedicated to Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya , rooted in Bihar, eastern UP and Jharkhand.
The Chief Minister prayed for 'happiness, peace, prosperity and good health' for all devotees and UP residents.
CM Yogi heads the Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur, in eastern UP's Chhath-observing cultural belt.
Major Uttar Pradesh cities including Varanasi , Prayagraj , and Ayodhya host large Chhath gatherings at Ganga ghats.
As millions of devotees across the Ganga-Yamuna belt gathered at riverbanks in the pre-dawn darkness, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended his greetings to the faithful on Chhath Puja, one of the most demanding and deeply observed festivals in the region.
Posting on Sunday, 15 November 2026, CM Yogi wrote in Hindi, 'Bhagwan Surya ki upasana, lok aastha evam Chhathi Maiya ki aradhana ke mahaparv Chhath Puja ki sabhi shraddhaaluon va pradeshvasiyon ko haardik badhaai tatha shubhkamnayen' — offering 'heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all devotees and residents of the state on the great festival of Chhath Puja, the worship of Lord Surya and the veneration of Chhathi Maiya.' He closed with the invocation 'Jai Chhathi Maiya' — 'Victory to Chhathi Maiya.'
Four days of faith: what Chhath Puja demands
Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu observance dedicated to Surya Dev (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya, the folk goddess of the sixth day. Unlike most festivals, it places the burden of rigour on the devotee — extended fasting without water, standing in rivers at dusk and dawn, and offering arghya (water offerings) to the rising and setting sun. The festival draws its deepest roots from Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, but has spread with migrant communities to virtually every major Indian city.
Uttar Pradesh's stake in the celebrations
For Uttar Pradesh, Chhath is not a peripheral observance — the eastern districts of the state share the same cultural and linguistic belt as Bihar, and ghats along the Ganga in cities such as Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya fill with tens of thousands of worshippers. State governments typically mobilise for ghat upkeep, lighting, sanitation, and crowd management well ahead of the main rituals. CM Yogi, who heads the Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur — itself in the culturally connected eastern belt — brings personal familiarity with the festival's significance to his public acknowledgement.
His prayer, as stated in the post, was simple and unambiguous: that Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya bring 'happiness, peace, prosperity, and good health' into the lives of all devotees.
Point of View
But Chhath Puja carries particular weight in Uttar Pradesh, where the eastern districts form a culturally contiguous zone with Bihar. For CM Yogi, whose base at the Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur places him squarely within that cultural geography, the acknowledgement is both politically resonant and personally rooted. The post reinforces the BJP's sustained outreach to Purvanchal voters — a bloc that proved decisive in multiple state and national election cycles. It also signals, implicitly, the state machinery's attention to the logistics that make large-scale riverbank observances possible.
NationPress
15 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chhath Puja and why is it celebrated?
Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu festival dedicated to Surya Dev (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya, observed with rigorous fasting and riverbank rituals at dusk and dawn. It is rooted in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand as an expression of gratitude for health, prosperity and wellbeing.
What did CM Yogi Adityanath say on Chhath Puja 2026?
CM Yogi extended heartfelt greetings to all devotees and UP residents, praying that Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya bring happiness, peace, prosperity, and good health into the lives of all faithful.
Where is Chhath Puja celebrated in Uttar Pradesh?
Chhath Puja sees large gatherings in eastern UP cities such as Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, and Gorakhpur, where devotees perform arghya (water offerings) to the rising and setting sun at Ganga ghats.
Why does CM Yogi have a personal connection to Chhath Puja?
CM Yogi Adityanath heads the Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur, which lies in eastern Uttar Pradesh — the same cultural belt as Bihar where Chhath Puja has its deepest roots.
What is the significance of Chhathi Maiya in Chhath Puja?
Chhathi Maiya is the folk goddess of the sixth day, worshipped alongside Surya Dev during Chhath Puja. Devotees believe her blessings bring good health and prosperity, particularly for children and families.
