Illustrative Chhath Puja photograph, recorded in 2018. Not verified as a Navi Mumbai location or a 2026 event.
Chhath Puja is a four day festival of sun worship, observed above all by families from Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Navi Mumbai has a large community that keeps it. Devotees stand in water at sunset and again at sunrise to make offerings, so the festival draws crowds to lakes and ponds. This guide gives the 2026 dates, what the holiday lists say, where local reports of earlier years place the festival in Navi Mumbai, and what to confirm and take care of before you go.
Quick answer: Chhath Puja runs from 13 to 16 November 2026, with Sandhya Arghya on Sunday evening and Usha Arghya on Monday morning. Palm Beach Talao in Nerul has hosted celebrations in previous years, but this guide has not verified its 2026 event or access arrangements. Check with the organiser and follow current civic and police instructions. Chhath is not included in Maharashtra’s cited annual public holiday notification for 2026.
Dates for 2026
Incredible India, the government tourism site, lists the Chhath Puja festival as running from Friday 13 November to Monday 16 November 2026. Drik Panchang’s 2026 Chhath calendar names the four observances on those dates. Its sunrise and sunset times depend on the city you select, so do not copy them for Navi Mumbai.
| Date | Day | Observance |
|---|---|---|
| 13 November 2026 | Friday | Nahay Khay |
| 14 November 2026 | Saturday | Kharna, also called Lohanda |
| 15 November 2026 | Sunday | Sandhya Arghya, the evening offering |
| 16 November 2026 | Monday | Usha Arghya, the morning offering, and Parana |
Family and community practice varies, so follow your own tradition and priest for the rituals.
Time information: keep four things separate
| Information | What you need |
|---|---|
| Festival dates | A sourced festival calendar, as above |
| Sunrise and sunset | Date specific times for the right location. If you consult a calendar, check that its location and date match your visit |
| Reporting time | The organiser’s instructions, which are separate from the sunrise or sunset time |
| Ritual guidance | Your family’s or community’s practice |
Confirm the organiser’s reporting time separately from the local sunrise or sunset time. Allow time for queues and controlled entry, and do not rush towards the water if you are delayed.
Is it a public holiday?
Chhath Puja is not included in Maharashtra’s cited annual public holiday notification for 2026. The Public Holidays, 2026 notification lists 24 public holidays, from Republic Day to Christmas, with Diwali on 8 and 10 November. Check your employer’s or school’s calendar and any later applicable notification.
Holiday lists differ between institutions. For example, the Controller of Communication Accounts, Bihar lists Usha Arghya on 16 November in its gazetted holiday calendar, and 15 November among its restricted holidays. That is one office’s list and does not settle the entitlement of anyone working in Navi Mumbai, so check your own employer’s or institution’s calendar.
Where Chhath has been observed in Navi Mumbai
2026 site status: this guide has not verified an official list of approved Chhath sites or current access arrangements. The locations below are documented in reports from earlier years.
| Place | What the reports say | Status for 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach Talao, Nerul | The Navi Mumbai Bihar Association organised a large celebration on the west bank of the lake. Newsband reported in November 2024 that it was the 28th year and described it as open to all. Newsband reported in October 2025 that it was the 29th edition | Not verified by this guide. Confirm the 2026 event, entrance and access arrangements with the organiser |
The October 2025 report quotes an NMMC public relations official as saying NMMC was “not playing any role” in Chhath Puja preparation that year, and that only cleaning staff would help with the clean up afterwards. That describes 2025 only. Ask your NMMC ward office what applies in 2026, and do not assume that lighting, barricades, changing rooms or rescue arrangements will be provided at any water body.
How a housing society organised its own observance
The same October 2025 report describes residents of NRI Complex in Seawoods using the complex fountain as a Chhath ghat, a practice it says began eight years earlier because Palm Beach Talao gets crowded. It describes an arrangement for the complex’s own residents and does not establish that visitors can attend. Other societies should assess their own site and obtain the necessary advice and approvals before creating a temporary arrangement.
Confirm before travelling
| Confirm before travelling | Information needed |
|---|---|
| Event | Whether the 2026 gathering is confirmed |
| Location | The exact entrance and an organiser confirmed map pin |
| Access | Whether it is public, residents only or subject to other restrictions |
| Timing | Reporting and access times for both offerings |
| Assistance | A contact person or help desk |
| Facilities | Toilets, lighting and any changing arrangements |
| Safety | The designated worship area, first aid and rescue arrangements |
| Travel | The drop off location and current parking instructions |
These are questions to put to the organiser. They are not claims that any of these facilities exist.
Safety at the water
Emergency: call 112 and alert the nearest police officer, organiser or rescue team. Give the exact site, entrance and a nearby landmark.
- Use only the designated access and worship areas confirmed for the event. Do not assume that shallow looking water is safe, and do not enter an unmarked area. Follow barriers and site instructions.
- Before entering, identify the designated entrance and exit, the help point and the emergency route. Watch for slippery steps and uneven banks, and follow site restrictions.
- Children need active adult supervision near the water at all times. A meeting point or a contact number written on a child is helpful, but it does not replace supervision. The World Health Organization lists supervision and controlled access to water among its drowning prevention measures.
- Fasting devotees, older people and anyone with a health condition should take advice from their doctor. Carry dry clothes. The hospitals guide lists major hospitals, but that does not mean any hospital has an arrangement for this event.
- Take your waste home or use the bins the organiser provides, and do not leave offerings or plastic at the water’s edge.
- Follow current restrictions and official advice about water entry. The presence of an event or a cleaned bank does not by itself establish water quality or safe conditions.
If you are travelling or visiting
- Allow extra travel time around gatherings. Check current police notices on the Navi Mumbai Police website for any closures, diversions or parking restrictions affecting your route. Our Navi Mumbai traffic guide lists the official contacts.
- Plan the two visits separately: the evening arrival and return on 15 November, and the pre dawn travel on 16 November. Do not assume that normal train services will suit the sunrise visit.
- Arrange your return journey in advance rather than relying on immediate cab availability when the gathering ends. Our local train guide and auto and taxi fares guide explain the options, and the guide to Nerul, Seawoods and Belapur explains how to reach the Nerul and Seawoods area.
- If you only want to see the festival, ask before photographing devotees, keep clear of the water’s edge and follow the organisers.
- Before spending several hours outdoors, check a current air-quality reading for your destination and its update time. Our air quality guide explains how to interpret it, and the winter planning guide brings together the season’s other guides.
If your society is organising Chhath Puja
Before arranging a temporary worship area, confirm the site’s suitability, required approvals and responsibility for supervision, electrical safety, emergency access and cleanup. Start with this checklist:
- Approval from the society and, where relevant, the landowner.
- The requirements of the civic authority responsible for the property and of the police. NMMC is the authority for areas within its limits, and other areas, such as those under Panvel Municipal Corporation, have their own. Start with the NMMC ward office if your society is in NMMC limits.
- Whether the proposed location is suitable.
- Electrical and lighting safety around water.
- Barriers, active supervision and emergency access.
- Water management, drainage and clean up.
- A named person responsible for each task.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Chhath Puja in 2026?
Incredible India lists the festival from Friday 13 November to Monday 16 November 2026: Nahay Khay on Friday 13 November, Kharna on Saturday 14 November, the evening offering, Sandhya Arghya, on Sunday 15 November, and Usha Arghya and Parana on Monday 16 November.
Is Chhath Puja a public holiday in Maharashtra?
Chhath Puja is not included in Maharashtra’s cited annual public holiday notification for 2026. Check your employer’s or school’s calendar and any later applicable notification.
Where is Chhath Puja celebrated in Navi Mumbai?
Local reports from 2024 and 2025 describe a major celebration at Palm Beach Talao in Nerul, organised by the Navi Mumbai Bihar Association, and a residents’ observance at a housing society. This guide has not verified 2026 sites or access, so confirm with the organiser before travelling.
Does NMMC arrange the Chhath ghats?
In October 2025 an NMMC public relations official was reported as saying NMMC was not playing a role in that year’s preparation, and that only cleaning staff would help with the clean up afterwards. That does not establish NMMC’s arrangements for 2026. Ask the ward office, and check current civic and police instructions.
What time are the offerings?
They are made at sunset on 15 November and at sunrise on 16 November. Exact local times depend on location, and the organiser’s reporting time is separate, so confirm both for your site.
Can visitors attend the Palm Beach Talao celebration in 2026?
The 2024 report described that year’s celebration as open to all. This guide has not verified the 2026 admission or access arrangements. Confirm with the organiser before travelling and follow current site instructions.
Sources and a note on accuracy
Sources checked on 15 October 2026. Festival dates: Incredible India and Drik Panchang. Holidays: the Maharashtra government’s Public Holidays, 2026 notification and the Controller of Communication Accounts, Bihar holiday list. Earlier year reports: Newsband of 5 November 2024 and 25 October 2025, which describe those years and are background, not a notice for 2026. Water safety: the World Health Organization. Emergency number: the Navi Mumbai Police website. Featured photo: Chhath puja photo by Amitksachin, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, cropped and resized, recorded on 9 November 2018. It is not verified as a Navi Mumbai location or a 2026 event. Festival dates are sourced above. Local access arrangements, facilities and traffic instructions may be announced or revised closer to the event. Confirm those details with the organiser, the police or your society before you travel. NaviMumbai.com is an independent information site and is not affiliated with the Navi Mumbai Bihar Association, NMMC, the police or any group named here.
