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

TL;DR

• 🌅 Chhath Puja 2026 falls on Sunday, November 15 — the sun-worship festival observed by Multan's Hindu minority community
• 🛕 The Prahladpuri Temple site at Multan Fort remains the most historically significant Hindu religious location in the city
• 🌊 The Chenab River, south of the city, is the traditional type of water body where Chhath Arghya (sun offerings) are performed
• 📿 Jain temples near Bohar Gate in the Old City represent the broader non-Muslim minority heritage still present in Multan
• 🤝 Chhath observances in Multan are community-led and often private — connect with local Hindu community contacts well in advance

Chhath Puja is one of the oldest sun-worship rituals in the Subcontinent — a four-day festival dedicated to the sun god Surya and Chhathi Maiya, observed with predawn river-side Arghya (offerings), rigorous fasting, and communal prayer. While it draws massive crowds in Bihar, Jharkhand, and the eastern Terai belt, its presence in Multan belongs to a much smaller community: the Hindu minority who have lived in this city through centuries of change.

Multan 2026 will see Chhath Puja on Sunday, November 15. The preceding days of Nahay Khay (ritual bath and clean meal, November 12), Kharna (sunset fast, November 13), and Sandhya Arghya (evening sun offering, November 14) complete the cycle. For those observing or seeking to respectfully witness the celebration in Multan, this guide covers the sites, the context, and what to know before you go.

Chhath Puja in Multan: Historical and Current Context

Multan has been a Hindu and Buddhist center for millennia before becoming one of the great Sufi shrines cities of the Subcontinent. The Multan Sun Temple, dedicated to the sun deity, was a famous pilgrimage site that drew visitors from across the ancient world — Chhath Puja's sun-worship tradition connects directly to this very old devotional current.

The city's Hindu population has been a small minority since Partition in 1947, and significant further reductions occurred in subsequent decades. Today, the Hindu community of Multan is a small but continuous presence, and they observe festivals including Holi, Diwali, and Chhath within their community networks — sometimes publicly, often quietly, depending on circumstances.

Chhath Puja in Multan is not a large public event on the scale of Indian cities. It is a community observance that takes place at designated gathering points, primarily along the Chenab River. If you are seeking to attend or photograph these observances, reach out respectfully to community members in advance and ask permission before arriving with a camera.

Where Chhath Arghya Is Performed: The River and Ritual Sites

Chhath Puja requires a large, clean body of water — traditionally a river, lake, or pond — where devotees stand in water at dawn and dusk to offer Arghya to the sun. In Multan, the Chenab River (Darya-e-Chenab) flows approximately 15 to 20 kilometers from the old city core, toward the south and southwest. This is the primary location for Chhath river-side observances for the Multan Hindu community.

A second historically important site is Suraj Kund, a sacred pool about five miles south of the old city that was a traditional Hindu pilgrimage site for sun-worship until 1947. While its current condition as a pilgrimage venue is unclear, its historical association with sun worship makes it the most directly connected site to Chhath Puja's tradition in Multan. Confirm its accessibility and condition through local contacts before visiting.

For those participating in private courtyard observances rather than river-side ones — an alternative observed in cities where river access is difficult — any clean water vessel (a large earthen pot or copper container) can serve as the ritual water body in home settings.

Temple and Heritage Sites in Multan

Prahladpuri Temple (Narsimha Mandir) at Multan Fort is the most historically significant Hindu temple in the city. The temple, dedicated to Narasimha (the man-lion avatar of Vishnu), dates to the medieval period and is associated in tradition with Prahlad, the devotee of Vishnu from the Puranic story. The site was damaged in 1992 and has been under the administration of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). Court-ordered reviews and local peace committee pledges have addressed restoration at various points since then. The site is at the southern tip of the Multan Fort area, adjacent to the Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya. Visitors should confirm the site's current accessibility before going, as conditions at heritage sites managed by the ETPB can vary. Confirm hours and details before visiting.

Two Jain temples near Bohar Gate in the Old City preserve another dimension of Multan's non-Muslim religious heritage:

Digambar Jain Temple Multan, located near Chowk Bazar and Masjid Phool Hathan inside Bohar Gate, is within the walled inner city. Jainism has a long historical presence in the trading communities of southern Punjab, and this temple is a tangible link to that history.

Parshvanath Jain Shwetambar Temple Multan, in Churi Sarai Bazaar near Bohar Gate, is another active or preserved Jain site in the same old-city cluster. The Shwetambar tradition has maintained a presence in this part of Pakistan even after the major migrations of 1947.

Both sites are within the old walled city and can be reached on foot from central Multan. Community members from the Jain minority are the best contacts for current visiting conditions.

The Multan Sun Temple: Ancient Context for Chhath

The Multan Sun Temple — dedicated to Surya, the sun god, whose worship underpins Chhath Puja — was considered one of the most celebrated temples of the Subcontinent in the pre-Islamic era. Arab geographers writing in the ninth and tenth centuries described it as a major pilgrimage site. The temple's exact location beneath the modern city is unknown, and it no longer exists as a visible structure. But its legacy gives Multan a uniquely deep connection to sun-worship traditions that Chhath Puja represents.

Key Panchang Dates for Chhath Puja 2026

• Nahay Khay (ritual bath and first meal): Thursday, November 12, 2026
• Kharna (sunset fast): Friday, November 13, 2026
• Sandhya Arghya (evening sun offering): Saturday, November 14, 2026
• Usha Arghya (dawn sun offering, Chhath main day): Sunday, November 15, 2026

Also coming in this period:

• Diwali / Amavasya: Sunday, November 8, 2026
• Bhai Dooj: Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Insider Tip

Community contacts matter more here than a list of venues. The Hindu community in Multan is small and close-knit, and Chhath observances are organized through personal networks rather than advertised events. If you are part of the community or have connections to it, reach out to the community leadership or elders about the 2026 gathering location — the specific riverside site used can shift year to year based on practical conditions. For the Prahladpuri Temple site, local guides familiar with Multan Fort are helpful for finding the exact location and understanding the site's current state. Always confirm hours and details before visiting any site.

FAQ

Q: Is Chhath Puja widely celebrated in Multan? Chhath Puja in Multan is observed by the city's Hindu minority community. It is not a large public event — observances are typically community-led and may be semi-private. The scale is not comparable to cities in Bihar or eastern UP where Chhath is the dominant festival.

Q: Where is the nearest river for Chhath Arghya in Multan? The Chenab River is the main river near Multan for traditional Chhath water offerings. It flows roughly 15 to 20 kilometers from the old city. Confirm access points and conditions with local community contacts before the festival dates.

Q: Can non-Hindus respectfully observe or attend Chhath celebrations? Chhath is a public observance in most South Asian cities, but in Multan's context, given the small community size, it is best to approach with explicit permission and quiet respect. Photography without permission is not appropriate.

Q: What is the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and its role with Hindu sites? The ETPB is a Pakistani government body that manages properties left by those who migrated at Partition. Most Hindu temple properties in Pakistan — including the Prahladpuri Temple site — are administered by the ETPB. Visitors to these sites operate under whatever access conditions the ETPB and local caretakers set.

Q: Where can I find more information about Multan's Hindu community and cultural sites? For general reference on Hindu heritage sites in Multan, visit desi.net/multan for community-curated information and current listings relevant to the area.

Bottom Line

Chhath Puja 2026 in Multan belongs to a small, resilient Hindu community that has maintained its traditions in a city now defined primarily by its Sufi shrines. The Chenab River and the historically profound Prahladpuri Temple site near Multan Fort are the key locations tied to this observance. Approach the community and its celebrations with curiosity and respect, confirm all site details before visiting, and use desi.net/multan to stay connected with the latest local information.