Rajnath Singh extends Chhath Puja Sandhya Arghya greetings
Synopsis
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh extended greetings on the third day of Chhath Puja, wishing all vratis and devotees well on the occasion of Sandhya Arghya — the ritual sunset offering to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya.
Key Takeaways
Rajnath Singh posted Chhath Puja wishes on 15 November 2026 , the festival's third day.
The post marks Sandhya Arghya — the ritual sunset offering to the setting Sun God, the most visually prominent moment of the four-day festival.
Chhath Puja is primarily observed in Bihar , eastern Uttar Pradesh , and Jharkhand , and by diaspora communities across India and abroad.
The festival is dedicated to Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya , with fasting devotees called vratis performing water-side rituals at sunrise and sunset.
Singh's message follows a consistent pattern of senior Indian political leaders issuing public greetings on major regional festivals as part of cultural outreach.
As millions of devotees across northern and eastern India prepare to offer the evening arghya to the setting sun, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh extended warm wishes on the third day of Chhath Puja — the four-day festival of faith, devotion, and solar worship — on Sunday, 15 November 2026.
Posting in Hindi on the occasion of Sandhya Arghya — the ritual offering to the westward-setting sun — Singh wrote: 'Today is the third day of Chhath, the great festival of faith, reverence and devotion. This evening, the setting Sun God will be worshipped with the offering of arghya. Heartfelt good wishes to all the devotees and vratis on this sacred occasion of the evening arghya. May the blessings of Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya remain with everyone, and may all lives be filled with happiness, peace and good health.'What Sandhya Arghya marks in the Chhath cycle
Chhath Puja is a rigorous four-day festival observed primarily in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, with large gatherings also held wherever diaspora communities from those states have settled — including Delhi, Mumbai, and cities abroad. The festival is dedicated to Surya Dev, the Sun God, and Chhathi Maiya, the solar deity's sixth manifestation associated with fertility and child welfare. The third day's Sandhya Arghya — the sunset offering — is widely considered the most visually arresting moment of the entire festival. Fasting devotees, known as vratis, wade into rivers, ponds, and water bodies and stand facing west, holding offerings of fruit, sugarcane and thekua (a traditional sweet) in winnowing baskets as the sun descends. The ritual embodies a rare act of reverence directed specifically at the setting — rather than the rising — sun, symbolising gratitude even in decline.A minister's message and the politics of festival outreach
Senior BJP leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh has long maintained strong ties to constituencies in eastern UP, a region where Chhath observance is deeply embedded in everyday life. For leaders of his stature, public greetings on Chhath carry resonance beyond ceremony — they signal cultural solidarity with a voter base that stretches across Bihar, Jharkhand, and the UP Purvanchal belt, one of India's most electorally significant corridors. Public festival outreach of this kind is a consistent feature of India's political communication calendar, but Chhath occupies a particular place in that roster: unlike festivals confined to a single day, its four-day arc generates multiple moments of public engagement, each with its own ritual weight. The sunrise arghya on the fourth and final morning will complete the cycle — but tonight, as the sun touches the horizon over rivers from the Ganga to urban ghats, the third day's quiet, candlelit intensity belongs to the vratis who have fasted since dawn.Point of View
But its cultural weight is not trivial: Chhath commands deep reverence across the Bihar–eastern UP–Jharkhand corridor that is central to BJP's electoral arithmetic. For a politician with roots in Uttar Pradesh, acknowledging the third day's Sandhya Arghya — not merely the festival in generic terms — signals familiarity with the ritual's specific cadence. In a broader arc, senior BJP leaders' prominent engagement with Chhath has helped the party consolidate its presence in Purvanchal and migrate communities, turning a once-regional festival into a national political touchstone.
NationPress
15 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sandhya Arghya in Chhath Puja?
Sandhya Arghya is the ritual offering of water and fruits to the setting sun on the third evening of Chhath Puja. Fasting devotees stand in water bodies facing west and offer prayers as the sun descends — it is considered the most sacred and visually striking moment of the four-day festival.
What did Rajnath Singh say on Chhath Puja 2026?
Rajnath Singh posted wishes in Hindi on the third day of Chhath Puja, extending heartfelt greetings to all vratis and devotees on the occasion of Sandhya Arghya and praying that Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya bless everyone with happiness, peace and good health.
Which states celebrate Chhath Puja the most?
Chhath Puja is most prominently observed in Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. It is also celebrated by large communities from these states living in Delhi, Mumbai and other cities, as well as by the Indian diaspora internationally.
How many days is Chhath Puja?
Chhath Puja is a four-day festival. It begins with Nahay Khay (ritual bath and meal), followed by Kharna (day-long fast ending with an evening offering), then Sandhya Arghya (evening offering to the setting sun on day three), and concludes with Usha Arghya (morning offering to the rising sun on day four).
Who is Chhathi Maiya in Chhath Puja?
Chhathi Maiya is a solar deity worshipped during Chhath Puja, believed to be the sixth form of the universal mother energy and associated with the well-being of children and families. She is venerated alongside Surya Dev, the Sun God, throughout the festival's rituals.
