Chhath Puja 2026 in Foster City: Events, Puja & Where to Celebrate
TL;DR
- 🗓 Chhath Puja 2026 falls on November 15, 2026 in Foster City, CA — a major observance for Indian and Desi families with roots in Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern UP.
- 🛕 Ashta Lakshmi Krupa in San Mateo and Sanatan Mandir in San Bruno are the two temples serving the Foster City Indian community.
- 🎆 The festival week runs from Dhanteras 2026 on November 6 through Chhath Puja 2026 on November 15, with Diwali 2026 on November 8 and Bhai Dooj 2026 on November 10 in between.
- 🌅 Chhath involves pre-dawn and sunset rituals at water bodies — Foster City's location on the San Francisco Bay peninsula makes it well-suited for this observance.
- 📅 The November–January calendar includes Ekadashi, Pradosh Vrat, Amavasya, Purnima, Sankashti Chaturthi, and Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 on January 15.
Foster City sits on the San Francisco Bay peninsula, part of San Mateo County, and its Indian and Desi community reflects the broader tech-industry diaspora of Silicon Valley's mid-peninsula. Families here trace their origins across the subcontinent — software engineers from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, professionals from Gujarat and Maharashtra, and a growing cohort from Bihar and eastern India, including many who observe Chhath Puja with particular devotion.
Chhath Puja 2026 falls on November 15 in Foster City. It is the fourth and final day of a four-day observance that begins with Nahay Khay (ritual bath and meal), moves through Kharna (fasting with specific food offerings), and culminates in the Sandhya Arghya (evening offering to the setting sun) and the Usha Arghya (dawn offering to the rising sun). For observant families, the pre-dawn trip to a water body on the final day is one of the most spiritually significant acts of the Hindu calendar year.
The Full Festival Calendar: November to January
The weeks surrounding Chhath Puja 2026 in Foster City are dense with observances. The calendar from November through January 2027 includes:
- November 4 — Ekadashi
- November 6 — Dhanteras 2026, Pradosh Vrat
- November 8 — Amavasya, Diwali 2026
- November 10 — Bhai Dooj 2026
- November 15 — Chhath Puja 2026
- November 20 — Ekadashi
- November 22 — Pradosh Vrat
- November 27 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- December 4 — Ekadashi
- December 6 — Pradosh Vrat
- December 8 — Amavasya
- December 21 — Pradosh Vrat
- December 23 — Purnima
- December 26 — Sankashti Chaturthi
- January 2, 2027 — Ekadashi
- January 4, 2027 — Pradosh Vrat
- January 7, 2027 — Amavasya
- January 15, 2027 — Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027
The sequence from Dhanteras 2026 through Chhath Puja 2026 covers eleven days — for actively observant families, this is the most liturgically demanding stretch of the year, requiring coordination around fasting schedules, temple visits, and water-side rituals.
Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 on January 15 marks the sun's passage into Capricorn and is celebrated as a harvest festival, particularly by Tamil and Telugu families in the Foster City area. It bookends the festival season with a lighter, community-oriented celebration.
Temples Serving the Foster City Indian Community
Two temples serve the Indian and Desi community near Foster City:
Ashta Lakshmi Krupa Located at 158 N Eldorado St, San Mateo, CA 94401, Ashta Lakshmi Krupa is reachable at (510) 676-6635. The temple website is ashtalakshmikrupa.org. San Mateo is adjacent to Foster City, making Ashta Lakshmi Krupa the most geographically convenient option for Foster City residents. The temple's name honors the Ashta (eight) forms of Lakshmi, and it serves a broad cross-section of the South Indian Hindu community in San Mateo County.
Sanatan Mandir Located at 205 W Angus Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, Sanatan Mandir can be reached at (650) 794-1294. The temple's website is sanatanmandirsanbruno.com. San Bruno is a short drive from Foster City via the 101 or 280 corridors. Sanatan Mandir serves a broader North Indian and pan-Hindu congregation and is a significant resource for families observing Chhath Puja, Diwali 2026, and other observances in the November calendar.
Both temples run special programs during the Diwali and Chhath season. Ashta Lakshmi Krupa and Sanatan Mandir each attract worshippers from Foster City, San Mateo, San Bruno, Belmont, and other mid-peninsula communities.
Chhath Puja and Water Rituals near Foster City
Chhath Puja's defining ritual — the sunrise offering at a water body — has been adapted by diaspora communities across the United States. In the Bay Area, lakes, bay-front parks, and reservoir shorelines have been used for community Chhath gatherings. Foster City itself has the Lagoon system and nearby access to San Francisco Bay shoreline, which have served as gathering points in past years.
For 2026, confirm with community organizations and temple networks whether an organized community Chhath puja is planned at a public water location near Foster City or San Mateo. These gatherings — which can draw dozens to hundreds of participants for the pre-dawn arghya — are typically coordinated through WhatsApp community groups, temple announcements, and local Indian community organizations rather than public event listings.
Insider Tip
Contact Sanatan Mandir at (650) 794-1294 and Ashta Lakshmi Krupa at (510) 676-6635 in late October to ask about Chhath Puja community programs for November 2026. Diaspora Chhath gatherings in the Bay Area often organize quickly through informal networks — getting on the temple's communication list early is the most reliable way to learn about organized sunrise puja gatherings at local water sites, which are typically the highlight of Chhath for families in the Foster City area.
FAQ
What date is Chhath Puja 2026 in Foster City, CA? Chhath Puja 2026 falls on November 15, 2026 in Foster City.
Are there temples near Foster City for Chhath Puja? Yes. Ashta Lakshmi Krupa at 158 N Eldorado St, San Mateo, CA 94401 (phone: (510) 676-6635) and Sanatan Mandir at 205 W Angus Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066 (phone: (650) 794-1294) are the two temples serving the Foster City Indian and Desi community.
What other festivals are celebrated in Foster City in November 2026? Dhanteras 2026 is on November 6, Diwali 2026 on November 8, and Bhai Dooj 2026 on November 10 — all before Chhath Puja 2026 on November 15.
What is Chhath Puja? Chhath Puja is a four-day Hindu observance dedicated to Surya (the sun deity) and Chhathi Maiya. It is widely observed by families with roots in Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The rituals involve fasting, bathing in a river or lake, and offering prayers at sunrise and sunset.
When is Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 in Foster City? Makar Sankranti / Pongal 2027 falls on January 15, 2027.
Bottom Line
For Foster City's Indian and Desi community, November 2026 is the most festival-rich month of the year. Chhath Puja 2026 on November 15 caps a ten-day run that begins with Dhanteras 2026 and passes through Diwali 2026 and Bhai Dooj 2026. Ashta Lakshmi Krupa in San Mateo and Sanatan Mandir in San Bruno are the community's worship anchors — reach out to both early in October to find community programs, sunrise puja locations, and volunteer opportunities.