Usha Arghya marks the conclusion of the four-day Chhath Puja. At dawn, devotees stand in water to offer arghya to the rising Sun (Surya Dev), completing their 36-hour nirjala fast. It’s a sacred moment symbolizing renewal, hope, and devotion.
🌞 Morning Ritual Essentials
- Bamboo soop (daura) filled with bananas, apples, coconut, sugarcane, diya lamps and Thekua.
- Use copper lota or kalash filled with water or milk for arghya.
- Light cotton-wick diyas using mustard oil or til oil.
- Wear clean traditional attire such as cotton saree or kurta-pyjama to maintain ritual purity.
- Stand on a prayer mat or barefoot on clean soil while facing the sunrise.
🌄 Step-by-Step Usha Arghya Ritual
- Wake up before dawn, bathe, and wear fresh clothes.
- Arrange the bamboo soop with fruits, Thekua, incense, and lighted diyas.
- Stand in the river or water body facing east as the first sunlight appears.
- Pour water slowly from the copper lota while chanting “Om Suryaya Namah.”
- Offer fruits, coconut, and betel leaves as prasad.
- After the ritual, touch elders’ feet and share prasad with everyone.
🍲 Traditional Prasad
- Thekua — crispy wheat-jaggery sweet symbolizing devotion.
- Rasiya Kheer — made of rice, jaggery, and milk.
- Dry fruits and seasonal fruits offered as blessings.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
The Usha Arghya (morning offering) represents gratitude, purity, and renewal. As devotees pour water toward the rising Sun, they express thanks for light, energy, and life. The morning glow symbolizes divine forgiveness and hope for prosperity and peace.
Usha Arghya
Sunrise Prayer
Completion of Fast
