Chhath Puja 2026: Delhi declares public holiday on November 16
Synopsis
Delhi has declared November 16 a full public holiday for Chhath Puja, with the government ramping up ghat count to over 1,400 — up from 1,326 last year. With a 40-lakh-strong Purvanchali community in the capital and BJP President Nitin Nabin set to inaugurate a new 11-km ghat on the Munak Canal, the festival is as much a civic event as a religious one this year.
Key Takeaways
The Delhi government has declared 16 November a public holiday for Chhath Puja (Surya Shashthi) .
Schools, colleges, government offices, autonomous bodies, MCD , NMDC , and PSUs will remain closed on that day.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said more than 1,400 Chhath ghats are being prepared — up from 1,326 last year.
BJP President Nitin Nabin is set to inaugurate an 11-km Chhath ghat along the Munak Canal on Thursday.
A committee led by Art and Culture Minister Kapil Mishra is overseeing logistics for the four-day festival starting 13 November .
The festival is especially significant for Delhi's 40-lakh Purvanchali community .
The Delhi government has declared a public holiday on 16 November (Monday) on the occasion of Pratihar Shashthi or Surya Shashthi (Chhath Puja), an official from the General Administration Department confirmed on Tuesday, 10 November. Schools, colleges, government offices, autonomous bodies, and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the Delhi government will remain closed on that day.
The official notification stated that November 16 has been designated a public holiday across Delhi for all government offices, autonomous bodies, and PSUs in observance of Chhath Puja. Civic agencies including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NMDC) will also observe the holiday.
Ghat Preparations Scaled Up
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had earlier stated that the Delhi government is preparing more than 1,400 Chhath ghats across the city this year — an increase from 1,326 ghats set up during the previous year's festival. The expansion reflects the festival's growing footprint in the capital.
On Thursday, BJP President Nitin Nabin is scheduled to inaugurate Delhi's 11-km-long Chhath ghat along the Munak Canal, one of the more prominent new additions to the city's ghat network this season.
Dedicated Committee Oversees Logistics
The Delhi government had earlier constituted a committee led by Art and Culture Minister Kapil Mishra to oversee preparations for the four-day Chhath festival beginning 13 November. Members include MLAs Abhay Kumar Verma, Chandan Kumar Chaudhary, Sandeep Sehrawat, and Deepak Chaudhary, along with social worker Santosh Ojha.
The committee has been tasked with coordinating NOCs, drinking water supply, medical and ambulance services, fire safety, mobile toilets, security, traffic management, sanitation, fogging, and uninterrupted electricity at ghats and festival venues.
Significance for Delhi's Purvanchali Community
Chhath Puja holds deep cultural significance for Delhi's approximately 40-lakh-strong Purvanchali community, which traces its roots to Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The festival, dedicated to the sun god, involves four days of rituals including fasting, holy bathing, and offering prayers at the water's edge at sunrise and sunset.
This comes amid a broader political emphasis on the festival in Delhi, where the Purvanchali vote bloc has long been courted by all major parties. The scale of government involvement — from dedicated committees to a record number of ghats — signals heightened attention to the community ahead of the city's political calendar.
Key Dates to Note
The four-day festival runs from 13 November to 16 November, with Surya Shashthi (the main day of offering) falling on 16 November. The public holiday declaration aligns with the final and most significant day of the festival. All Delhiites — particularly those with government or PSU employment — should note the closure for forward planning.
Point of View
A record ghat count, and a BJP presidential inauguration of a new 11-km ghat — is as much political choreography as civic planning. The Purvanchali community, estimated at 40 lakh in the capital, is an influential vote bloc that every party in Delhi actively courts. What is notable this year is the BJP-led Delhi government's visible ownership of the festival's infrastructure at a time when it is still consolidating its electoral mandate in the city. Whether this translates into improved ground-level execution — cleaner ghats, better crowd management, uninterrupted power — will matter more to residents than the headline ghat numbers.
NationPress
10 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is November 16 a public holiday in Delhi for Chhath Puja 2026?
Yes, the Delhi government has officially declared November 16 (Monday) a public holiday for Chhath Puja (Surya Shashthi). All government offices, schools, colleges, autonomous bodies, PSUs, MCD, and NMDC will remain closed.
How many Chhath ghats is Delhi preparing in 2026?
The Delhi government is preparing more than 1,400 Chhath ghats across the city in 2026, up from 1,326 ghats in the previous year. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta made this announcement ahead of the festival.
What are the dates of Chhath Puja 2026 in Delhi?
The four-day Chhath Puja festival in Delhi begins on November 13 and concludes on November 16, 2026, with Surya Shashthi — the main offering day — falling on November 16.
Who is overseeing Chhath Puja preparations in Delhi this year?
Art and Culture Minister Kapil Mishra is heading a dedicated committee tasked with overseeing festival preparations. The committee includes MLAs Abhay Kumar Verma, Chandan Kumar Chaudhary, Sandeep Sehrawat, and Deepak Chaudhary, as well as social worker Santosh Ojha.
Why is Chhath Puja significant for Delhi?
Chhath Puja is one of the most important festivals for Delhi's approximately 40-lakh-strong Purvanchali community, which has roots in Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The festival's scale in Delhi has grown steadily, making it a major civic and cultural event in the capital.
