Sacred Waters
Purification through immersion in rivers, lakes and ponds — here, the Pacific and our local lakes.
ॐ सूर्याय नमः
Southern California • Chhath MahaparvCelebrating Faith,
Tradition & Togetherness
Standing together at the water’s edge, thousands of miles from home, we raise our Arghya to Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya — and pass this light to the next generation.
- Days of Ritual
- 4Days of Ritual
- Community
- 1Community
- Devotion
- ∞Devotion
The Mahaparv
An ancient prayer to the rising sun
Chhath Puja is one of the oldest living festivals of the Indian subcontinent — four days of fasting, purity and gratitude offered to Surya Dev, the Sun God, and to Chhathi Maiya, who watches over children and families.
ArghyaSunset & sunrise offering
Devotion in its purest form
Celebrated for centuries across Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and the Terai region of Nepal, Chhath asks for nothing elaborate — no priest, no idol, no temple. Only clean water, honest food, a bamboo basket, and a devotee willing to stand in the cold and wait for the sun.
The vrati keeps a 36-hour Nirjala Vrat — without food or even water — and offers Arghya first to the setting sun, then to the rising one. It is the rare festival that honours the sun as it fades before it honours the sun as it returns: gratitude for what has passed, and faith in what is coming.
It is also a festival of absolute equality. Rich and poor stand in the same water, at the same hour, with the same soop in their hands.
Surya Dev
The source of life, health and energy — thanked directly, in the open, at the water.
Chhathi Maiya
The protector of children and of the family’s wellbeing, invoked in every Chhath geet.
Elements of the Festival
What Chhath is made of
Six simple things carry the whole festival — and every one of them travels with us to Southern California.
Sun Worship
Arghya offered to Surya Dev at sunset and again at sunrise, standing waist-deep in water.
Satvik Offerings
Pure vegetarian prasad prepared without onion, garlic or salt — thekua above all.
Chhath Geet
Devotional folk songs carried across generations, sung together at the water’s edge.
Bamboo Baskets
Handwoven soop and daura carrying fruit, sugarcane and prasad to the ghat.
Communal Harmony
A festival with no priest and no hierarchy — devotion that transcends caste and class.
Four Sacred Days
From Nahay-Khay to Usha Arghya
The rhythm of Chhath never changes — whether the ghat is on the Ganga or on a beach in California.
- Day 1
Nahay-Khay
“To Bathe and Eat”Holy bathing, cleansing of the home and a satvik meal cooked in bronze or earthen vessels over mango wood.
Friday 13 November · at home
- Day 2
Kharna
“Sacred Fasting”A day-long fast broken at dusk with gud ki kheer, wheat roti and fruit — after which the 36-hour Nirjala Vrat begins.
Saturday 14 November · at home
- Day 3
Sandhya Arghya
“Sunset Offering”Families gather at the water in traditional attire, offering soop and daura filled with thekua, sugarcane and fruit to the setting sun, singing Chhath geet.
Sunday 15 November · 4:30–7:00 pm
- Day 4
Usha Arghya
“Sunrise Offering”The final offering to the rising sun. The 36-hour fast concludes with paran, bringing blessings of health, harmony, prosperity and new beginnings.
Monday 16 November · 5:30–8:30 am
Who We Are
Chhath Puja SoCal — a home away from home
A volunteer-led community keeping the sacred rhythm of Chhath Puja alive in Southern California.
We are families from across Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, the Inland Empire and beyond — volunteers, every one of us. What began as a handful of households looking for a stretch of clean water has become a gathering of hundreds, standing shoulder to shoulder at dusk and again before dawn.
Our purpose is simple: to hold a Chhath that our parents would recognise, and that our children will want to continue. That means the right vessels, the right songs, the right prasad — and a welcome for anyone who wants to understand what they are seeing.
Preserving tradition. Celebrating devotion. Building community.
Event Organisation
Site setup, ghat arrangements, registration, crowd care and clean-up.
Educational Workshops
Teaching children and newcomers the meaning behind each ritual.
Support & Resources
Helping families with puja materials, transport and first-time guidance.
Community Network
Connecting devotees across LA, OC, San Diego, Inland Empire and beyond.
Upcoming
Join us at the ghat this year
Everything you need to plan your Arghya with us. Two Arghyas at Adventure Lagoon, Anaheim. Everything you need to plan your visit.
Dates
Sunday 15 & Monday 16 November 2026
Venue
Adventure Lagoon
3255 E. Miraloma Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92806
Timings
Sandhya Arghya · Sun 4:30–7:00 pm
Usha Arghya · Mon 5:30–8:30 am
Open to all devotees and families — no ticket needed. Register so we can plan seating, parking and prasad.
Event detailsThere is a place for your family at our ghat
Members hear about dates and venues first, receive help with puja materials, and can volunteer with any of our committees. Whether your family has kept this vrat for generations or you are simply curious — you are welcome.
Moments
Light on the water, year after year
Photographs from our celebrations in Southern California — the crowd at dusk, the first light of Usha Arghya, and the families who make it happen.
Support our community & tradition
Every permit, every light at the water’s edge, every soop handed to a family who has just arrived in California — is paid for by devotees like you. Nothing here is commercial; everything here is contributed.
छठी मैया की जय