Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday announced that October 27 (Monday) would be a public holiday on the auspicious occasion of the Chhath festival, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office.
The decision allows families and communities celebrating the festival to fully take part in the key rituals of this sacred occasion. Gupta extended her greetings to devotees, saying that Chhath is a festival dedicated to nature, where people worship the Sun God and ‘Chhathi Maiya’.
The festival is also a symbol of faith, devotion, and cleanliness, sending a message of environmental protection through the worship of nature, water, and the Sun, she added.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that Monday, October 27, will be a public
holiday on account of the Chhath festival: CMO
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2025
What Is The Chhath Festival?
Chhath Puja, dedicated to the worship of the sun or Surya Dev and his sister, Chhathi Maiya (Prakriti), the goddess of fertility, will be celebrated from today (October 25) till Tuesday (October 28). During this festival, devotees express gratitude to the sun and nature with elaborate rituals, including fasts, holy baths and offering prayers to the rising and setting sun.
Hindu women hold fasts to seek the well-being of their children, while those childless wish for children. Devotees take an early morning bath in the Ganga to begin the Puja. The women fast the entire day and only take one meal after sunset. Many ghats are prepared for large gatherings.
The festival begins with Nahay-Khay, with the ritual of bathing and preparing pure vegetarian food to be offered to deities. This is followed by Kharna, continues with Sandhya Arghya, and concludes with the Usha Arghya and Parana rituals.
October 27 marks the day of ‘Sandhya Arghya’, where devotees stand knee-deep in clean water, by a river, pond, or ghat at sunset and offer prayers to the setting sun with thekua, fruits, sugarcane, and other offerings.
Preparations In Delhi
Earlier this week, Gupta had lifted the long-standing ban on organising Chhath Puja on the Yamuna river, marking a major change in the city’s festive preparations this year. She said the government is building 17 model Chhath ghats along the Yamuna and will provide full facilities, including tents, lighting, sanitation, and toilets, at over 1,000 venues across the city.
Delhi Minister Kapil Sharma on Saturday inspected several Chhath ghats across the national capital and said that special attention is being given to all essential facilities. He emphasised that special attention is being given to safety, cleanliness, lighting, water supply, tents and other essential facilities to make this year’s celebrations historic and grand.
He said that arrangements have been completed at more than 1,300 ghats across the city, including 17 major ones along the Yamuna. Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma said the quality of the river water was better than last year, ahead of the festival.
(with inputs from PTI)
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