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

TL;DR

• Chhath Puja 2026 falls on November 15 — the four-day festival of sun worship is one of the most visually striking in the Indian tradition 🌅
• The Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth at 3000 Longvue Ave is the regional anchor for Keller's Indian community, reachable at (817) 292-4444
• Navratri 2026 begins October 11, launching a full month of back-to-back observances that build toward Chhath
• Diwali 2026 on November 8 falls just one week before Chhath Puja 2026 on November 15 🪔
• The full DFW-area Chhath Puja schedule at desi.net/keller — check for community event updates as November approaches 📅

Chhath Puja 2026 in Keller: The Festival and What to Expect

Chhath Puja is the sun worship festival most strongly associated with communities from Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Its rituals are distinctive in the Indian festival calendar: unlike most pujas performed inside temples or homes, Chhath Puja takes its participants outdoors — to riverbanks, lakeshores, or any accessible open water — for offerings to the setting sun on one evening and the rising sun the following dawn.

The festival follows a four-day arc. Nahay Khay on the first day involves a ritual bath and a single simple meal. Kharna on the second day is a full-day fast broken only in the evening, when the vrat is concluded with rice pudding (kheer) and rotating prasad prepared without salt or regular oil. The third day — and the ceremonial climax — is Sandhya Arghya, the evening arghya (water offering) made to the setting sun, with elaborately decorated bamboo baskets called sup filled with thekua, seasonal fruits, sugarcane, and other offerings. The fourth day, Usha Arghya, is the dawn ceremony: standing in water before sunrise and offering arghya as the sun appears on the horizon.

Chhath Puja 2026 falls on November 15 — this is the Usha Arghya date, the ceremonial close of the festival. Planning backward, the four days run from approximately November 12 through November 15.

In and around Keller, Texas, the Bihari and eastern UP diaspora community has grown as part of the broader expansion of the Indian population in the North Texas metro. Chhath Puja observances in DFW have evolved from small neighborhood gatherings into larger community events at parks and lakeside locations, with some organized by cultural associations and others by informal neighborhood networks.

The Fall Festival Sequence Leading to Chhath

Chhath Puja 2026 is the culminating event in an extraordinary run of Indian observances that fills the Keller calendar from late September through mid-November. Understanding the full sequence helps with planning for the entire season.

The sequence begins with Purnima on September 26 and Sankashti Chaturthi on September 29. Then Ekadashi on October 6, Pradosh Vrat on October 8, and Amavasya on October 10 carry the rhythm into mid-October. On October 11, Navratri 2026 begins — nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga, with garba and dandiya events typically organized across the DFW metro.

The Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth at 3000 Longvue Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76108 (phone: (817) 292-4444, website: fortworthhindutemple.org) is the established regional hub for many of these celebrations. Navratri events at and around this temple tend to be multi-night affairs, and the temple's announcements are a reliable source for the schedule.

Durga Ashtami 2026 on October 18 and Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 on October 20 bring Navratri to its close. Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 commemorates the victory of good over evil — some DFW communities organize Ravan Dahan events, with large Ravan effigies burned in parks or open grounds. Ekadashi follows on October 21, Pradosh Vrat on October 23, Purnima on October 25, and then Sankashti Chaturthi on October 29.

October 29 also brings Karva Chauth 2026 — the fast observed by married women for their husbands' long life. Karva Chauth has become a significant diaspora observance with sargi gatherings in the morning and moonrise ceremonies in the evening, often organized through community women's groups.

November intensifies the pace further. Ekadashi arrives on November 4, then Dhanteras 2026 on November 6 — when precious metals and new items are purchased for good fortune — and Pradosh Vrat also on November 6. Amavasya and Diwali 2026 both fall on November 8, the biggest Indian festival of the year. Bhai Dooj 2026 follows on November 10, and then Chhath Puja 2026 closes the season on November 15.

Insider Tip: Contact the Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth directly at (817) 292-4444 well ahead of Chhath Puja 2026. Finding a suitable outdoor water-side venue for the arghya ceremonies — and coordinating the permits and logistics — typically requires community organization that begins weeks in advance. For Navratri 2026 garba events, similar early coordination applies. Confirm hours before you go. Full calendar at desi.net/keller.

How the Keller Indian Community Observes Chhath

The logistics of Chhath Puja in a landlocked Texas suburb differ from the festivals on the banks of the Ganges in Patna or Varanasi. The North Texas area has no natural river of scale, so communities improvise with lakes, retention ponds, and park water features that have been designated or permitted for Chhath gatherings. In recent years, several DFW-area sites have hosted several hundred participants for both the evening Sandhya Arghya and the pre-dawn Usha Arghya.

The pre-dawn ceremony carries a particular logistical ask: participants arrive at the water's edge before sunrise, which in mid-November in Texas means assembling in the dark. Community coordination is key — carpooling, assigned roles for carrying the bamboo sup, and coordinating children's participation across extended families all require advance planning.

Given that Diwali 2026 falls on November 8 and Bhai Dooj 2026 on November 10, family members traveling from out of town for the Diwali season may still be in the area when Chhath Puja begins on November 12. This overlap is worth factoring into travel and accommodation planning — many families choose to combine the two celebrations into a single extended visit.

FAQ

Q: When is Chhath Puja 2026? A: Chhath Puja 2026 falls on November 15, 2026. The four-day festival begins around November 12 with Nahay Khay.

Q: Where can the Keller Indian community celebrate Chhath Puja? A: Contact the Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth at (817) 292-4444 for information on organized outdoor events in the Fort Worth and Keller area.

Q: When does Navratri 2026 start? A: Navratri 2026 begins on October 11, 2026, and runs for nine nights through Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026 on October 20.

Q: When is Diwali 2026? A: Diwali 2026 falls on November 8, 2026 — exactly one week before Chhath Puja 2026 on November 15.

Q: What is the address and phone number for the Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth? A: The Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth is at 3000 Longvue Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76108. Phone: (817) 292-4444.

Bottom Line

Keller's fall 2026 Indian community calendar runs from late September all the way to November 15 without pause — taking in Navratri 2026, Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026, Karva Chauth 2026, Diwali 2026, and Bhai Dooj 2026 before culminating in Chhath Puja 2026. The Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth is the regional anchor for many of these events. Start planning Chhath Puja logistics early, coordinate with community groups for the arghya venue, confirm hours before you go, and track the full calendar at desi.net/keller.