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Today is Kharna, the second day of Chhath Puja, it unfolds with a mood that is nothing short of divine theatre. If Day 1 sets the stage, Day 2 is where the emotional, spiritual, and cultural intensity truly begins. For devotees, especially in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and parts of Nepal, Kharna is not merely a ritual, it is a vow, a promise, and a spiritual cleanse wrapped together in devotion.
( Image credit :
Instagram/offbeatbihar | Kharna marks Day 2 of Chhath Puja with purity, devotion, and the sacred prasad of jaggery kheer and roti cooked on a clay stove.
)
Chhath Puja day 2: Kharna
The morning opens with silence and discipline. The fasting devotee observes a day-long fast without even a sip of water, holding their mind focused and their heart anchored in gratitude. The household turns into a sanctified space, freshly swept, softly lit, and humming with folk songs that feel like memory and prayer woven together.
The ritual of the clay stove and mango wood
The star of Kharna is the clay stove (mitti ka chulha). It must be new, untouched, pure, a symbol of fresh beginnings. And the fire? That must be from mango wood only. Traditional belief says that the mango tree is deeply beloved to Chhathi Maiya, and food cooked on this wood is sattvic, clean, and spiritually charged. The light smoke that rises from this fire is said to purify not just the house, but the energy surrounding the devotee.
( Image credit :
Instagram/offbeatbihar | Kharna marks Day 2 of Chhath Puja with purity, devotion, and the sacred prasad of jaggery kheer and roti cooked on a clay stove.
)
The divine prasad: Jaggery kheer and roti
As evening falls, silence becomes devotion. The jaggery kheer, lovingly simmered with rice, milk and a hint of pure ghee, is prepared in either a clay or brass pot. Roti or puri accompanies it. The prasad remains salt-free, garlic-free, onion-free, completely satvik.
( Image credit :
Instagram/offbeatbihar | Kharna marks Day 2 of Chhath Puja with purity, devotion, and the sacred prasad of jaggery kheer and roti cooked on a clay stove.
)
After offering arghya (prayers) to the Sun God, the fasting devotee finally breaks their fast with just this prasad. Only after the devotee eats does the rest of the household receive it, because their blessing is what completes it.
( Image credit :
Instagram/offbeatbihar | Kharna marks Day 2 of Chhath Puja with purity, devotion, and the sacred prasad of jaggery kheer and roti cooked on a clay stove.
)
And here comes the spiritual intensity, once prasad is eaten, a 36-hour Nirjala (waterless) fast begins, continuing until the final sunrise arghya. It is endurance, devotion and faith beyond explanation.
What to remember today
Keep the cooking space spotlessly clean
Use mango wood only
Keep the prasad fully sattvic
Do not use regular salt, only rock salt if needed
Touch all puja items with clean hands only
Kharna is not just about eating, it is about purifying the spirit before inviting blessings into the home.
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