Puri extends Chhath Puja greetings, invokes Chhathi Maiya
Synopsis
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri greeted devotees on Chhath Puja, invoking Chhathi Maiya's blessings for happiness and prosperity. The four-day Sun worship festival draws millions across Bihar, eastern UP, Jharkhand and Nepal.
Key Takeaways
Hardeep Singh Puri posted Chhath Puja greetings on 15 November 2026 , wishing devotees happiness and prosperity.
He opened with Jai Chhathi Maiya! and prayed for the goddess's grace on all worshippers.
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival honouring the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya , involving strict fasting and riverside rituals.
The festival is most prominently observed in Bihar , eastern Uttar Pradesh , Jharkhand , and parts of Nepal .
Issuing greetings for major regional festivals is standard practice for senior political figures across India's parties.
As dawn broke on Sunday, 15 November 2026, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri joined millions of devotees in spirit, posting warm Chhath Puja greetings and praying that Chhathi Maiya's blessings bring happiness and prosperity to every household.
Writing in Hindi, Puri opened with 'Jai Chhathi Maiya!' — 'Victory to Chhathi Maiya!' — before extending greetings to all devotees of what he called the mahaprav of faith and worship. 'May the grace of Chhathi Maiya remain on everyone,' he wrote, 'and may this great festival of Sun worship bring happiness and prosperity to every home.'
Four days of fire, water and unwavering faith
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival dedicated to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, observed with strict fasting, ritual bathing, and offerings made at riverbanks at sunrise and sunset. It is among the most demanding of Hindu observances — devotees stand in water for hours, often in biting cold, as a mark of devotion. The festival draws its largest congregations in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and parts of Nepal, but its reach has grown with the diaspora, making it a truly pan-Indian celebration.
Festival greetings as political outreach
Puri — a senior BJP leader and former career diplomat before his ministerial innings — routinely marks major regional festivals on social media. Such greetings are standard political practice across party lines in India, where festivals carry enormous social visibility and community significance. Chhath, in particular, holds deep political resonance given the demographic weight of Bihar and eastern UP in national electoral arithmetic.
The gesture costs little but signals a great deal: an acknowledgement that the culture and devotion of tens of millions of Indians who observe this festival deserve recognition at the highest levels of government.
Point of View
Particularly given Bihar and eastern UP's decisive role in national elections. For the BJP, acknowledging Chhath — once seen as a purely regional observance — is part of a broader cultural outreach strategy that has grown over the past decade. Puri's post, unremarkable in isolation, is one data point in a consistent pattern of festival diplomacy that keeps senior leaders visible in culturally significant moments without requiring a policy stance.
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 the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya. Devotees observe strict fasts, bathe in rivers, and offer prayers at sunrise and sunset as acts of gratitude and devotion, primarily in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Nepal.
What did Hardeep Singh Puri say for Chhath Puja 2026?
Puri posted 'Jai Chhathi Maiya!' and extended heartfelt greetings to all devotees, praying that Chhathi Maiya's grace remain on everyone and that the festival of Sun worship bring happiness and prosperity to every home.
Who is Hardeep Singh Puri?
Hardeep Singh Puri is India's Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, a senior BJP leader, and a former career diplomat who served in several senior positions before entering electoral politics.
In which states is Chhath Puja most widely celebrated?
Chhath Puja is most prominently observed in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, as well as in parts of Nepal. It is also celebrated by migrant communities across India and abroad.
Why do Indian politicians post Chhath Puja greetings?
Chhath Puja commands enormous social and cultural visibility, especially in Bihar and eastern UP — states that carry significant electoral weight. Posting greetings is a standard form of cultural outreach practised across party lines.
