Who Is Chhathi Maiya? Chhath Puja 2026 (15–16 Nov) Katha, Her Bond with Surya and the Songs

2026-09-22

By tradition Chhathi Maiya is Shashthi Devi, the protector of children, regarded as the sister of Surya. In 2026 the sandhya arghya falls on Sunday 15 November and the usha arghya on Monday 16 November. Here are her kathas and what the Chhath songs mean.

By tradition, Chhathi Maiya is Shashthi Devi — the goddess who protects children, regarded as the sister of Surya, the Sun god. That is why Chhath offers arghya (a ritual offering of water) to the Sun while the prayer itself is addressed to Chhathi Maiya. In 2026 Chhath Puja falls on Sunday 15 November: the evening sandhya arghya is that day, and the morning usha arghya is on Monday 16 November.

This page answers the question people actually search for: who Chhathi Maiya is, how she is linked to Surya, what her kathas (traditional stories) say, and what the Chhath songs ask for. City-wise arghya timings are kept separately in our arghya timing guide.

Who is Chhathi Maiya?

Her formal name is Shashthi Devi. Shashthi simply means "sixth" — the sixth tithi (lunar day) of a fortnight. Chhath is observed on the Shashthi of the bright half of the Kartik month, so in everyday speech the goddess of that day became "Chhathi Maiya", Mother of the Sixth.

Tradition holds that Shashthi Devi watches over children. That is why the Chhath vrat (fast) is kept mainly for the well-being of one's children, for peace in the home, and as thanksgiving to the Sun. The vrati — the person keeping the fast — observes a demanding fast and gives the arghya at the ghat (riverbank).

Some tellings call Chhathi Maiya Devasena; others see her as Usha, the goddess of dawn. The identification shifts by region and family tradition. There is no single "correct" answer, and the kathas below show why.

How is Chhathi Maiya related to Surya?

In tradition she is Surya's sister. Because of this bond, Chhath worships the two together: the vrati stands in a river or pond and pours arghya to the Sun, while praying to Chhathi Maiya for the children of the house.

The Sun is honoured twice — the setting Sun receives the sandhya (evening) arghya, and the rising Sun the usha (dawn) arghya. In the tellings where Chhathi Maiya is Usha, the dawn offering becomes an offering to the goddess herself. For the wider place of Surya in worship, see our article on Surya.

When is Chhath Puja 2026?

From our panchang engine (Delhi times), the Shashthi tithi runs from 23:24 on 14 November to 02:01 on 16 November. Shashthi is the tithi at sunrise on 15 November, which makes Sunday 15 November 2026 the main day of Chhath.

The sandhya arghya is given around sunset (17:26 in Delhi) and the usha arghya around sunrise (06:45 in Delhi). Your city will differ by a few minutes. The full four-day sequence from Nahay-Khay to the dawn arghya is in this guide.

What do the kathas of Chhathi Maiya say?

Chhath's stories come from oral tradition rather than a single scripture. They have been told across generations and vary a little from region to region. Three are heard most often, and a fourth belongs to one town.

King Priyavrat and Shashthi Devi

According to the katha, King Priyavrat had no children. After long effort the queen gave birth to a son, but the infant was lifeless. As the king grieved, Shashthi Devi appeared and gave the child life. She told him she was the protector of children, and that she herself would look after the children of those who worshipped her with devotion. Tradition regards this as the beginning of the Chhath vrat.

The message is plain: Chhath is a fast kept for one's own children, and Chhathi Maiya looks after them the way a mother would.

Karna's arghya to Surya

Karna of the Mahabharata is, in the katha, a son of Surya. He is said to have stood in water every day to offer arghya to the Sun. Folk tradition links the Chhath practice of standing waist-deep in the river with the offering in hand to Karna's daily discipline.

Draupadi's vrat

Another story belongs to the Pandavas. It is held that in a difficult period Draupadi kept the vrat of Surya and Shashthi Devi, and that the family's days slowly changed for the better afterwards. This telling widens Chhath from the welfare of children to the welfare of the whole household.

Sita's Chhath — the Munger katha

Munger in Bihar has a local katha that Sita observed the Chhath vrat there on the bank of the Ganga. This is entirely a regional belief, and people in Munger still associate a spot on the riverbank with it.

What do the Chhath songs say?

Chhath is known as much by its songs as by its rituals. They are sung in Bhojpuri and Maithili — at the ghat, at home, while the prasad (offering food) is being made. They are not mantras; they are plain conversation. The vrati talks to Chhathi Maiya, invites her, and puts her request to her directly.

The best-known song is "Kaanch hi baans ke bahangiya". Two words are enough to unlock it:

• Bahangi — a long bamboo pole carried on the shoulder, with a basket tied to each end. At Chhath it carries the soop (small bamboo trays), fruit, sugarcane and the rest of the prasad to the ghat.
• Kaanch baans — raw, green bamboo. In other words a new bahangi, made especially for this Chhath.

The sense of the song is that the bahangi is heavy, and it asks who will carry it to the ghat — then someone from the household steps forward. One of Chhath's central ideas sits inside that: the vrat is not the vrati's alone; the whole house keeps it. Whoever carries the offerings to the ghat is part of the same sankalp (vow).

Other songs invite Chhathi Maiya into the home, speak of decorating the courtyard for her, and ask the rising Sun not to delay — so that the vrati's long fast can end with the dawn arghya. In every song the request is direct: the safety of the children and the happiness of the home.

The words of these songs are living folk heritage and change from singer to singer, so lines are not reproduced here. Hearing them at a ghat is the best way to learn them.

What should you keep in mind at Chhath?

• The vrati's health comes first. By tradition, when someone cannot keep the fast, another member of the family can keep it in their place.
• Both arghyas are tied to sunset and sunrise, so check your own city's timing in advance and reach the ghat early.
• Ghats are crowded. Keep hold of children's hands and stay in shallow water.

If you want each day's tithi, sunrise and sunset, and festival dates in one place, our daily panchang gives exactly that, city by city.

Frequently asked questions

Are Chhathi Maiya and Shashthi Devi the same?

Yes. Chhathi Maiya is the folk name and Shashthi Devi the formal one. Both refer to the same goddess — the protector of children.

Is Chhathi Maiya Surya's sister, or something else?

In tradition, his sister. Some kathas also call her Devasena or Usha. The identification varies by region, and all of these forms are held together without contradiction.

When is Chhath Puja in 2026?

The main days are Sunday 15 November 2026 (sandhya arghya) and Monday 16 November 2026 (usha arghya). Nahay-Khay is on Friday 13 November and Kharna on Saturday 14 November.

What language are the Chhath songs in?

Mainly Bhojpuri and Maithili. "Kaanch hi baans ke bahangiya" is the most famous Chhath song; it is about the bahangi — the bamboo carrier — and the vow to carry it to the ghat.