Dharmendra Pradhan Greets Nation on Chhath Sandhya Arghya
Synopsis
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on 15 November 2026 extended greetings to the nation on Chhath Mahaparv's Sandhya Arghya, calling the festival's tradition of venerating the setting sun a remarkable and unique act of faith and devotion.
Key Takeaways
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan posted Chhath Mahaparv greetings on 15 November 2026 .
He highlighted Sandhya Arghya โ the evening offering to the setting sun โ as a spiritually unique feature of Chhath Puja .
The festival is primarily observed in Bihar , Jharkhand , and eastern Uttar Pradesh , with a large diaspora following.
Devotees offer prayers for family well-being and national prosperity during the ritual.
Chhath is one of the few Hindu festivals that venerates the sun at both dawn (Usha Arghya) and dusk (Sandhya Arghya) .
As the sun dipped toward the horizon on Sunday, 15 November 2026, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan extended warm wishes to the nation on the occasion of Sandhya Arghya โ the evening offering that marks one of the most sacred moments of Chhath Mahaparv.
Posting on X in Hindi, the Minister wrote: 'Chhath Mahaparvko Sandhya Arghya ki sabhi deshvaasiyon ko haardik shubhkaamnaayen' โ 'Heartfelt greetings to all fellow countrymen on the occasion of the evening Arghya of Chhath Mahaparv.' He highlighted what he called a profound and unique quality of the festival: 'One remarkable feature of Chhath Mahaparv is that the setting sun is also offered Arghya with complete devotion and faith.' He concluded with a prayer that Suryadev's grace bring welfare to all, and signed off with the traditional salutation โ Jai Chhathi Maiya ๐๐ป.
Why the Setting Sun Gets Its Own Salute
Chhath Puja stands apart from most solar festivals in one striking way: it venerates the sun not only at its most powerful โ dawn โ but also at its most vulnerable, as it sets. The evening Arghya, or Sandhya Arghya, is offered on the main day of the four-day festival, with devotees standing knee-deep in rivers or ponds, hands cupped toward the fading light. It is a gesture of gratitude and faith extended to a force even in its decline โ a philosophy devotees describe as humbling and rare.
The festival is observed with particular intensity across Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, and among diaspora communities worldwide. Chhathi Maiya, the folk deity to whom the festival is dedicated alongside Suryadev, is believed to protect children and grant prosperity to families. Fasting vrati (devotees observing the fast) offer prayers for the well-being of their families and the nation.
A Senior BJP Voice Marks a Bihar-Heartland Festival
Dharmendra Pradhan, an Odisha-origin leader who serves as one of the BJP's most prominent faces in the Hindi-speaking belt, has consistently used festival occasions to reach out to communities across eastern India. As Union Minister of Education, his portfolio spans the country, but Chhath greetings carry particular resonance given the festival's deep roots in the party's key electoral states. Indian ministers routinely mark regional festivals on social media โ but Chhath, with its massive pan-India footprint among migrant communities from Bihar and eastern UP, commands some of the widest reach of any such post.
Point of View
Mumbai, and even abroad, giving a single social-media post outsized reach. For a minister from Odisha managing a national portfolio, such gestures reinforce pan-eastern identity politics. The post is ceremonial in nature, but the constituency it speaks to is anything but marginal.
NationPress
15 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sandhya Arghya in Chhath Puja?
Sandhya Arghya is the evening offering made to the setting sun on the main day of Chhath Mahaparv. Devotees stand in water and offer prayers to Suryadev as the sun sets, praying for family prosperity and national welfare.
Why is the setting sun worshipped during Chhath?
Chhath Puja uniquely venerates the sun both at dawn and dusk. Offering Arghya to the setting sun is considered an act of deep faith โ expressing gratitude to a divine force even at the moment of its diminishing light, symbolising humility and devotion.
What did Dharmendra Pradhan say about Chhath 2026?
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan extended Sandhya Arghya greetings to all Indians, noting that the festival's practice of worshipping the setting sun with full devotion is one of its most remarkable and unique features.
Which states celebrate Chhath Puja the most?
Chhath Puja is most intensely celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. It is also widely observed by migrant communities across Delhi, Mumbai, and other Indian cities, as well as in Indian diaspora communities abroad.
Who is Chhathi Maiya?
Chhathi Maiya is the folk deity โ associated with the sixth day after birth โ to whom Chhath Puja is dedicated alongside Suryadev (the Sun God). She is believed to protect children and grant prosperity and well-being to families.
