Chhath Puja 2026 runs November 13-16: Nahay Khay, Kharna, Sandhya Arghya (evening offering to the setting sun, November 15), and Usha Arghya (morning offering to the rising sun, November 16). For Bihari and Purvanchali families in Canada, the dates match India’s, but the arghya times are tied to your own local sunrise and sunset.
Why this is entirely about your local sun times
Arghya is offered at the moment of sunset (Sandhya Arghya, November 15) and sunrise (Usha Arghya, November 16). These are, by definition, local astronomical events; an India-published clock time for Patna or Delhi has no direct bearing on when the sun sets or rises in Toronto, Vancouver or any Canadian city.
To put some real numbers on it: on November 15, sunset in Patna is around 5:06 PM IST. On the same day, sunset in Toronto is around 4:50 PM EST, and in Vancouver it’s around 4:22 PM PST. That’s hours apart in absolute terms. If a family in Brampton is standing at a lake bank at 5:06 PM because that’s what a WhatsApp forward from back home said, the sun has already been gone for 15 minutes. The arghya timing is the entire point of the ritual, so getting it wrong defeats the purpose.
The 36-hour fast in between
Vratins observe a roughly 36-hour nirjala fast from Kharna’s evening through Usha Arghya the next morning, so knowing your local sunset on the 15th and sunrise on the 16th in advance helps plan the fast’s timing precisely.
In mid-November, Canadian cities see shorter days than northern India. Toronto sunrise on November 16 will be around 6:55 AM EST, compared to about 6:10 AM IST in Patna. That extra 45 minutes of waiting for dawn while fasting without water can feel very long, especially in Canadian cold. Dress warmly, bring blankets, and consider arriving at the water body 20-30 minutes before sunrise rather than an hour early.
Finding a water body
Access to a river, lake or other water body for the arghya itself is worth confirming with your local temple or Bihari/Purvanchali community association ahead of time. In the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), groups have established Chhath Puja sites at several lakefronts over the years. Vancouver families often use spots along the Fraser River. Calgary and Edmonton communities sometimes arrange poolside events at community centers when outdoor conditions are too harsh.
If you’re in a smaller city without an established community, check Facebook groups for “Chhath Puja [your city].” Even cities with just a few dozen Bihari families often organize something, and joining an existing group means shared supplies, shared cooking, and someone who’s already scouted a safe waterfront location.
Preparing the thekua and prasad
Thekua, the signature Chhath prasad, is deep-fried and travels well. If you’re preparing at home and driving to a lakefront, make the thekua the night before Sandhya Arghya. You’ll also need fresh sugarcane (available at most Indian grocery stores in Canada by November), bananas, and coconuts. The daura (bamboo basket) can be harder to find outside India. Some families order them online or reuse one from the previous year, while others improvise with a clean brass thali.
Getting your city’s exact times
Use the panchang page with your Canadian city selected to see the exact sunset for November 15 and sunrise for November 16.