From the western banks of Perth to the lakeside parks of Melbourne, Indian-Australian communities gathered this week to celebrate Chhath Puja, one of the oldest festivals dedicated to the Sun God.
In Perth, the Chhath Puja Samiti, with support from the Bihar Jharkhand Samaj of WA (BJSM), hosted the city’s first large-scale Chhath Puja—a day filled with prayer, fasting and shared devotion. Women in traditional attire offered evening prayers to the setting sun before returning the next morning to offer thanks to the rising light, a gesture symbolising renewal and gratitude. “For the very first time in Perth, Chhath Puja was beautifully organised and celebrated by the Chhath Puja Samiti, with support from BJSM — a day filled with devotion,” the organisers wrote in a post following the event.
Meanwhile in Melbourne, the Bihar Jharkhand Sabha of Melbourne (BJSM) held its annual Chhath Puja at Karkarook Park in Heatherton, drawing hundreds of devotees and well-wishers. The festival unfolded over two days, with the Sandhya Arghya (evening offering) and Usha Arghya (morning offering) marking the high points of the celebration.
Chhath Puja, which originates from the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh, is among the few Hindu festivals dedicated exclusively to Surya, the Sun God, and Chhathi Maiya, the goddess associated with fertility and well-being. The rituals include fasting, standing in water, and offering prayers to the setting and rising sun to express gratitude for health, prosperity and the balance of nature.
“Chhath is not just a festival; it’s an emotion. It connects generations, reminding us of our roots, our gratitude and our bond with nature,” said Aparna Kumar, President of BJSM Melbourne. For both Perth and Melbourne, the celebrations reflect how enduring traditions continue to find new expression in Australia’s multicultural setting.
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