10 Must-Have Traditional Dishes for Chhath Puja Celebration
These traditional Chhath Puja dishes embody purity, devotion, and the rich culinary heritage of Bihar and eastern India
These traditional Chhath Puja dishes embody purity, devotion, and the rich culinary heritage of Bihar and eastern India
The heart and soul of Chhath Puja, Thekua is a deep-fried sweet made from wheat flour, jaggery, and ghee. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, it’s often shaped with hand-carved moulds. As the primary prasad (offering) to the Sun God, Thekua represents devotion, simplicity, and sweetness in life.
Boiled or roasted sweet potatoes are offered during evening rituals. Their natural sweetness and nutritional value make them a wholesome addition to the fasting menu, symbolising sustenance and simplicity.
A festive indulgence, Malpua is a syrup-soaked pancake made with flour, milk, and fennel seeds, fried in ghee. Soft, fluffy, and sweet, it’s a celebratory treat prepared especially after the completion of fasting rituals.
Prepared with freshly grated coconut and jaggery, these soft, chewy ladoos are both nutritious and symbolic of purity. Coconut Ladoo is often placed in the soop (bamboo tray) offered to the Sun God during the morning Arghya.
These soft, mildly sweet ladoos made from rice flour, jaggery, and sesame or poppy seeds are symbols of prosperity and good health. Their nutty aroma and melt-in-mouth texture make them a festive favourite during the offerings.
Rich, fragrant, and golden, Kesar Kheer—made with rice, milk, sugar, and saffron—is often prepared for the final day of Chhath Puja. Its vibrant colour and aroma are symbolic of devotion to the rising sun.
A staple in Indian festive cooking, Puri—deep-fried, puffed bread made from wheat flour—is an essential accompaniment to many Chhath dishes. It’s typically served with sabzi or kheer, adding a savoury balance to the otherwise sweet offerings.
Cooked on the second day of the festival, this simple combination of chana dal (split Bengal gram) and rice cooked in ghee and milk is a sacred meal consumed after sunset rituals. It marks the end of the day-long fast and signifies purity and gratitude.
This rice pudding, made with jaggery and freshly harvested rice, is cooked in milk until thick and caramel-hued. Rasia is prepared on the second day of Chhath Puja, known as Kharna, and is first offered to the deity before being shared with family and friends.
A humble yet flavourful dish made with pumpkin, Kaddu ki Sabzi is cooked with ghee, cumin, and mild spices—without garlic or onion. It’s a must-have on the Kharna day and pairs beautifully with puris, embodying the sattvik nature of the festival.