Chhath Festival Preparations Gain Momentum Across Nepal as Devotees Observe Kharna Ritual

Devotees across Nepal are observing Kharna, the second day of the four-day Chhath festival, which celebrates the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya.

The festival, widely celebrated in the southern Terai plains, particularly in the Mithila region, is also gaining popularity in Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the country.

The first day of the festival, observed on Friday, began with the Nahay-Khay ritual, during which devotees take ritual baths and prepare traditional meals. Today, devotees observe Kharna by fasting and preparing offerings. On the third day, they will offer prayers to the setting sun, followed by offerings to the rising sun on the fourth and final day.

Chhath is regarded as a symbol of cultural unity, bringing people together beyond caste and community divisions to worship at riverbanks, ponds and other water bodies. Devotional songs dedicated to the Sun God have also added to the festive atmosphere, particularly in the Mithila region.

Preparations are underway at riverbanks, ponds and other water bodies across the Terai and Kathmandu Valley. With the number of Chhath devotees increasing in the capital in recent years, arrangements are being made at 17 locations this year.

Ghats are being constructed and cleaned at Gaurighat, Guhyeshwari, Kamalpokhari, Thapathali, Teku, Bansighat and Balkhu, among other locations. At Gaurighat, facilities are being prepared to accommodate hundreds of devotees, with local residents and young volunteers actively involved in the preparations.

Meanwhile, the government has announced a public holiday on Monday, November 16, the day devotees offer prayers to the rising sun. This is in addition to the usual Sunday weekly holiday, which falls on the day of the evening offerings to the setting sun.