Chhath Puja 2026 in Anand: Events, Puja & Where to Celebrate

TL;DR

• 📅 Chhath Puja 2026 falls on November 15 in Anand, Gujarat, one week after Diwali 2026.
• 🛕 Anand's temple community includes Kedarnath Temple at Ankalavadi, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, and Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal.
• The Diwali cluster runs November 6–11: Dhanteras 2026 on Nov 6, Diwali 2026 on Nov 8, Bhai Dooj 2026 on Nov 11.
• The winter festival season extends through Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 on January 15, 2027.
• Monthly observances — Ekadashi, Pradosh Vrat, Purnima — fill the calendar between major festivals.

Understanding Chhath Puja in the Context of Anand's Festival Calendar

Chhath Puja is one of the most physically demanding of all Hindu festivals. Devotees observe a 36-hour fast without water, perform sunset and sunrise rituals at a water body, and offer arghya — oblations — to Surya, the Sun god. The four-day sequence includes Nahay Khay, Kharna, the main Sandhya Arghya, and finally the Usha Arghya at dawn. The festival originates with communities from Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, but its observance has grown substantially across Gujarat's urban and semi-urban centers as migration patterns have mixed regional populations.

Anand district, known nationally and internationally for the cooperative dairy movement that produced one of the world's largest milk brands, also has a population drawn from multiple states of India. The district's urban character and its proximity to Vadodara and Ahmedabad have made it a destination for migrants seeking employment and education. As a result, festivals originating outside Gujarat — including Chhath Puja — are observed here alongside traditional Gujarati celebrations like Navratri and Uttarayan.

For Chhath Puja 2026, which falls on November 15, families in Anand will complete the Kharna ritual on November 14, perform the Sandhya Arghya at sunset on November 15, and break the main 36-hour fast with the Usha Arghya at sunrise on November 16. Local Chhath puja samitis coordinate ghat access at the Mahi River and other water bodies in and around Anand for these rituals.

Temple Infrastructure in Anand for Major Festivals

Anand's religious landscape reflects the district's demographic composition. The Swaminarayan tradition is strongly represented here, and two temples in the district are associated with this tradition.

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Anand serves a large Vaishnava congregation. The temple observes major festivals with puja, kirtan, and community programs. For Diwali 2026, the Swaminarayan observance includes annakut darshan — an offering of hundreds of food items to the deity — which draws devotees from across the area.

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal is associated with the Vadtal diocese of the Swaminarayan Sampraday, one of the two main peethas (seats) of this tradition. The Vadtal temple complex itself is located a short distance from Anand, and the Anand-area congregation maintains close ties with the main Vadtal site. During major festivals, programs at Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal are coordinated with those at the Vadtal complex and draw pilgrims from the broader region.

For Shaivite traditions, Kedarnath Temple at Ankalavadi in Anand district serves devotees observing Pradosh Vrat, Shivaratri, and other Shiva-focused observances. The temple's dedication to Lord Shiva in his Kedarnath form connects it to the broader tradition of Kedarnath worship that spans from the original shrine in the Himalayas to established temples across India. Pradosh Vrat observances at Kedarnath Temple draw regular attendance from families with Shaivite practices.

The November–January Festival Calendar for Anand 2026–27

The months from November 2026 through January 2027 carry an unusually dense schedule of observances. The full list:

November 2026: Ekadashi (Nov 5), Dhanteras 2026 (Nov 6), Pradosh Vrat (Nov 7), Diwali 2026 (Nov 8), Amavasya (Nov 9), Bhai Dooj 2026 (Nov 11), Chhath Puja 2026 (Nov 15), Pradosh Vrat (Nov 22), Purnima (Nov 24).

December 2026: Ekadashi (Dec 4), Pradosh Vrat (Dec 6), Amavasya (Dec 8), Ekadashi (Dec 20), Pradosh Vrat (Dec 22), Sankashti Chaturthi (Dec 27).

January 2027: Ekadashi (Jan 3), Pradosh Vrat (Jan 5), Amavasya (Jan 7), Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 (Jan 15), Ekadashi (Jan 19).

This calendar matters for families with monthly fasting commitments. Ekadashi falls twice each lunar month on the eleventh day of each paksha (fortnight), and Pradosh Vrat on the thirteenth. For families observing both, November 2026 through January 2027 involves at least ten separate fasting days outside of the major festivals.

Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 on January 15 closes the winter festival cycle. In Gujarat, this day is celebrated as Uttarayan, associated with kite-flying from rooftops. It marks the Sun's northward transit (Uttarayan) and the end of the winter solstice period. In Anand, as across Gujarat, kite markets and community gatherings are the practical expression of the festival.

How Diwali and Chhath Puja Overlap in Practice

One of the practical realities of this festival season in Anand is that Diwali 2026 and Chhath Puja 2026 are only one week apart. Families observing both face overlapping logistics.

The Diwali cluster runs from Dhanteras 2026 (November 6) through Bhai Dooj 2026 (November 11). The main Lakshmi puja on Diwali 2026 (November 8) involves evening rituals and community gatherings. Then, from November 13, Chhath Puja preparations begin with the Nahay Khay ritual (bathing and eating a simple meal of boiled rice, chana dal, and vegetables).

For households where different family members observe different festivals — common in Anand given its mixed-origin population — the November 6–16 window requires careful coordination of fasting schedules, puja materials, and ghat logistics.

Insider Tip: The Pradosh Vrat on November 7 falls the evening before Diwali 2026. Families observing Pradosh Vrat at Kedarnath Temple and then Lakshmi puja at home on November 8 should note that Pradosh Vrat ends at sunset on November 7, allowing the evening of the 7th for Dhanteras home preparations as well. Having puja thalis for both observances prepared in advance — Shiva puja items for Pradosh, Lakshmi puja items for Diwali — prevents the mid-week rush that tends to empty the local puja material shops.

FAQ

When is Chhath Puja 2026 in Anand? Chhath Puja 2026 falls on November 15 in Anand. The four-day observance runs from November 13 (Nahay Khay) through November 16 (Usha Arghya).

Which temples in Anand observe Chhath Puja? Chhath Puja rituals are not conducted inside temples but at open water bodies, organized by local Chhath puja samitis. Kedarnath Temple, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, and Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal may have affiliated community programs, but the main arghya rituals take place at ghats.

When is Diwali 2026 in Anand? Diwali 2026 falls on November 8 in Anand. Dhanteras 2026 precedes it on November 6.

What is Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 and when is it observed in Anand? Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 falls on January 15, 2027. In Gujarat it is celebrated as Uttarayan, the kite-flying festival that marks the Sun's northward transit. It is one of the major communal celebrations of the year.

What is Bhai Dooj and when is it in 2026? Bhai Dooj 2026 falls on November 11 in Anand. Observed two days after Diwali, it marks the bond between siblings with a tilak ceremony in which sisters apply tilak to their brothers and offer prayers for their wellbeing.

Bottom Line

Chhath Puja 2026 in Anand falls on November 15, seven days after Diwali 2026. The district's temple infrastructure — Kedarnath Temple, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, and Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal — supports the broader November–January festival season. For Chhath Puja specifically, ghat coordination through local samitis is the practical priority. The festival calendar through January 2027 is dense with monthly Ekadashi, Pradosh Vrat, and Purnima observances, closing with Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 on January 15.