Every November, Birgunj's ponds fill with families standing in water at sunset, holding baskets of fruit and thekua toward the sun. This guide covers the 2026 dates, the main ghats, what to expect, and how to plan your visit.
On the evening of the main day, families across Birgunj walk to the nearest pond with bamboo baskets on their heads. Thousands of people wade into the water together and face the setting sun.
That is Chhath, the festival of the sun, and Birgunj is one of the best places in Nepal to see it. This year the main evening offering falls on Sunday, November 15. If you plan to come, you have less than two weeks to sort out a room and a bus seat.
TL;DR
Chhath Puja 2026 runs from Friday, November 13 to Monday, November 16, with the main evening offering on Sunday, November 15
Ghadiarwa Pokhari is the biggest and most decorated ghat in Birgunj, with organiser estimates running from 100,000 to over 200,000 visitors on the main day
More than 30 other ponds and riverbanks around the city also hold Chhath rituals
Visiting is free, and you do not need to be Hindu to watch respectfully
Rooms and buses fill early because families return home and visitors cross from Bihar, so book now
Chhath at a Glance
The Four Days of Chhath
Chhath is a Hindu festival for the sun god Surya and Chhathi Maiya. It is celebrated most strongly in Nepal's Madhesh Province and in neighbouring Bihar. The people who keep the fast, mostly women, go without food and water for about 36 hours. It is a very demanding fast.
Everything offered to the sun is prepared at home with great care. The baskets hold sugarcane, bananas, ginger, and thekua, a sweet, deep-fried wheat snack that has become the taste of the festival.
Where to Watch Chhath in Birgunj
Birgunj has more than 30 Chhath ghats. Most are ponds that families can walk to from home, and each has its own crowd and its own mood.
Ghadiarwa Pokhari
This is the one most visitors come for. A management committee has run the celebration here since 2004, and the pond is dressed in lights and flowers days before the festival starts. Last year the committee set aside about Rs 2.5 million for decoration and arrangements, according to the Kathmandu Post. Estimates of the main-day crowd have ranged from 100,000 to over 200,000 people, so treat the numbers as rough. What is certain is that it gets very full. Police, the Armed Police Force, and the Army have helped with security in past years.
Ghadiarwa is also an everyday spot for morning walks and sunrise photos, which the Birgunj travel guide covers if you want to see it without the crowd.
Ranighat, Nagwa and Murli
If Ghadiarwa feels too big, these three ponds are good alternatives. Local reports list them among the ghats that are decorated for the festival each year. Ask your host which one is closest to where you are staying.
Sirsiya River
Many families still use the banks of the Sirsiya River, but local reports say the water is badly polluted even during Chhath. Most visitors do better at the ponds.
What You Will Actually See
The best way to understand Chhath is to be there for both offerings, not just one. Here is what to look for.
Before sunset, families arrive in groups with the baskets carried on their heads.
Sugarcane, bananas, thekua, and coconuts are laid out at the water's edge.
At sunset, the fasting family members stand in the water and the offering is made with the sun low over the pond.
Chhath songs are sung at the ghats through the evening.
Before dawn on the last day, the ghats fill again in the dark. The second offering at sunrise ends the long fast.
Chhath Beyond Birgunj
Chhath is not only a Birgunj festival. In Janakpur, the ponds around the city, including Ganga Sagar and Dhanush Sagar, are decorated for the same four days. The best places to visit in Janakpur lists the temples and ponds you can add to a trip, and the Vivah Panchami guide covers the city's other big festival of the year.
The festival is also held in Dang, Sunsari, Sarlahi, and across the Terai. In Kathmandu, families from Madhesh celebrate at ponds and rivers around the valley. A local belief in Madhesh says that Sita observed Chhath near the Valmiki Ashram on the Narayani river in Chitwan, which is one reason the festival feels so rooted in this part of Nepal.
The Birgunj culture guide explains how Chhath fits into daily life in the city. If you miss Chhath, Holi is the city's other big festival of the year, and the Holi in Nepal guide covers when and where to celebrate it.
How to Plan Your Visit
Getting there
Birgunj is about 5 to 6 hours from Kathmandu by road, and longer during the festival rush when many families travel home at the same time. The Kathmandu to village travel times guide has realistic journey times for planning around holiday traffic. Birgunj also borders Raxaul in India, and visitors from Bihar come across to watch the celebration. Book bus tickets early, and leave Kathmandu a day before the main offering if you can. The Nepal Tourism Board has general travel information for visitors coming from India or overseas.
Where to stay
Rooms near Ghadiarwa fill up first, so book as early as you can. A homestay puts you with a family who knows which ghat is closest and when to leave for the water. If your host family keeps the fast, they can also explain what each ritual means as it happens. You can browse homestays in Birgunj on Nepal Homestays.
What to bring
Mornings can be cool by the water, so pack a light jacket for the sunrise offering. Wear shoes you can slip off easily. The packing list for a rural homestay covers the rest.
How to behave at the ghat
Do not touch the baskets or the prasad. They are kept pure for the sun.
Ask before taking photos of people standing in the water.
Take off your shoes near the water and keep to the edges so families can reach the ghat.
Dress modestly. Many families are strictly vegetarian during these days, so avoid asking for meat or alcohol where they are hosting.
Keep your phone and wallet close in the crowd, and hold on to children.
Food between the offerings
Between the evening and morning offerings, the Birgunj street food guide will help you find dinner.
Add a Few More Days
Chhath is a good reason to see more of southern Nepal. The weekend trips from Birgunj guide lists Janakpur, Chitwan, Hetauda, and Parsa National Park as short trips from the city, and the top 10 places in southern Nepal puts them in a longer route. If you are unsure about travelling at the moment, the guide on Nepal after the 2026 flood shows which regions are open.
Final Thought
Many festivals ask you to look at something. Chhath asks you to wait with a crowd of strangers while a family does something very hard, and then watch the sun go down on it. You do not need to understand every ritual. You only need to stand quietly at the edge of the pond and let it happen.
Find a family to stay with in Birgunj on Nepal Homestays and book directly with the host.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Chhath Puja 2026 in Nepal?
Chhath Puja 2026 runs from Friday, November 13 to Monday, November 16. The main evening offering is on Sunday, November 15, and the morning offering follows on Monday, November 16. Nepal's public holiday calendar marks November 15 as the main day.
Where is the biggest Chhath celebration in Birgunj?
Ghadiarwa Pokhari. It is the most decorated ghat in the city and draws visitors from across Nepal and from Bihar in India.
Can tourists attend Chhath in Birgunj?
Yes. Watching is free and open to everyone. Please keep your distance from the baskets and ask before taking photos.
What time are the Chhath offerings?
The evening offering happens at sunset, a little after 5 PM in Birgunj in mid-November. The morning offering happens at sunrise, a little after 6 AM. Confirm the exact times with your host or the ghat committee.
What do people offer during Chhath?
Sugarcane, bananas, ginger, coconuts, and thekua, a sweet wheat cookie, placed in bamboo baskets and offered to the sun.
Is Chhath celebrated anywhere else in Nepal?
Yes. Janakpur holds large celebrations at its ponds, and the festival is also held in Dang, Sunsari, Sarlahi, Kathmandu, and across Madhesh Province.
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