Chhath Puja 2026 runs from November 13 to 16, and if you're observing it here in Los Angeles, the shopping is the first real task: thekua needs the right atta and gur, the kharna kheer needs rice and jaggery, and the offering tray needs fresh fruit, dry fruits, and puja essentials. You can get all of it in one trip at Anoras Cash N Carry in the Fairfax District — and if you're mid-fast and can't leave the house, we deliver across our 10-mile radius. This guide walks through what Chhath Puja asks for, how to make thekua at home, and where to find every ingredient near you.

What is Chhath Puja, and when is it in 2026?

Chhath Puja is the four-day festival dedicated to Surya, the Sun God, and Chhathi Maiya, observed most devotedly by families from Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and the Mithila and Terai regions of Nepal. It's one of the most disciplined vrats in the Hindu calendar: the vratis (those keeping the fast) go without water for long stretches and offer arghya standing in water to both the setting and rising sun.

In 2026 the four days fall as follows (dates per the November 2026 Hindu festival calendar):

• Nahay Khay — Friday, November 13: the ritual bath and the first sattvic meal, often kaddu-bhaat (pumpkin, rice, and chana dal).
• Kharna — Saturday, November 14: a daylong fast broken after sunset with rasiya-kheer made from rice and gur, plus roti. After this, the 36-hour nirjala (waterless) fast begins.
• Sandhya Arghya — Sunday, November 15: the evening offering to the setting sun, standing in water, with the soop (winnowing tray) loaded with thekua and fruit.
• Usha Arghya — Monday, November 16: the dawn offering to the rising sun, after which the vratis break their fast (parana).

Takeaway: mark Kharna (Nov 14) and the two arghyas (Nov 15–16) on your calendar now, and do your big shop a few days ahead — the 15th is a Sunday, and you don't want to be sourcing gur the morning of.

What do you need to shop for Chhath Puja?

Chhath is famously simple and famously strict: everything offered is sattvic, made at home, and kept scrupulously clean — no onion, no garlic, no store-bought shortcuts in the prasad itself. Your list breaks into four groups.

For thekua, the signature prasad: whole wheat atta, gur (jaggery), and ghee are the heart of it. We stock the Aashirvaad Atta 22 lb that most households already trust for rotis, and traditional Laxmi Punjabi Gud for that deep, caramel sweetness thekua is known for. If you're deciding between jaggery types, our guide to buying gur in LA breaks down the options, and our ghee explainer covers which ghee to fry in.

For Kharna kheer and the fast foods: rice and gur for the rasiya-kheer, and phool makhana if you like to keep a light, roasted snack on hand for the household around the vratis.

For the offering tray: Chhath calls for seasonal fruit — sugarcane, bananas, coconut, sweet lime (mosambi), and singhada (water chestnut) are traditional. We carry fresh produce alongside a full range of dry fruits and nuts for the prasad tray and for gifting.

For the puja itself: diyas, wicks, incense, and the brass lamps you'll light at the ghat or balcony. Our Pooja & Incense aisle covers the samagri, and a solid brass akhand diya is the kind of lamp that lasts years of festivals.

Takeaway: build your list in those four buckets — prasad, fast food, fruit, puja — and you won't forget the one thing that sends you back out on Arghya morning.

How do you make thekua at home?

Thekua is the dish everyone remembers — crisp, dense, lightly sweet, and made to last the two days of the festival. The basics: dissolve gur in warm water to make a syrup, then knead it into whole wheat atta with a spoon of ghee and a little fennel (saunf) and grated dry coconut if you like. Rest the dough stiff, press pieces into the wooden thekua mould or shape by hand, and deep-fry slowly in ghee or oil until deep golden. Low and slow is the whole trick — rush the heat and the outside browns before the inside sets.

Because it's offered as prasad, thekua is made with a clean kitchen, clean hands, and no tasting before the arghya. Make a big batch; it keeps for days in a tin and travels well if you're bringing prasad to family across the city.

Takeaway: two pounds of atta and a block of gur make enough thekua for a household plus plenty to share — buy a little more than you think you need.

Where can you buy Chhath Puja ingredients near me in Los Angeles?

You'll find everything for Chhath Puja at Anoras Cash N Carry, 567 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036, in the heart of the Fairfax District. We're open daily from 10 AM to 9 PM, so you can shop before work or after the evening arghya. Call us at 323-272-3617 if you want to check on anything specific before you come in.

We're a quick drive for most of central and west LA — Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, Culver City, and Koreatown are all close by. If you're keeping the fast and would rather not be on your feet, we deliver within a 10-mile radius from 10 AM to 8 PM: a $35.97 minimum order, a $7.98 delivery fee, and free delivery when you spend over $99. Orders usually land fast — often within about 45 minutes.

Live outside the delivery zone? Place a pickup order online with no minimum and we'll have it ready in about an hour, so you can swing by on your way home and skip the aisles entirely.

Takeaway: shop in person before the 15th, or let us deliver so the vratis can rest — either way, one stop covers thekua, prasad, fruit, and puja samagri.

Frequently asked questions about Chhath Puja shopping in LA

When is Chhath Puja in 2026?
Chhath Puja 2026 runs November 13 to 16: Nahay Khay on the 13th, Kharna on the 14th, Sandhya Arghya (evening offering) on the 15th, and Usha Arghya (morning offering) on the 16th.

What ingredients do I need to make thekua?
Whole wheat atta, gur (jaggery), and ghee are the core, with optional fennel seeds (saunf) and grated dry coconut. That's it — thekua is deliberately simple.

Where can I buy gur and atta for Chhath Puja near me in Los Angeles?
Anoras Cash N Carry at 567 S Fairfax Ave stocks Aashirvaad atta, Laxmi Punjabi gud, rice, dry fruits, and puja samagri. We're open daily 10 AM–9 PM and deliver within 10 miles.

Can you deliver Chhath Puja ingredients while I'm fasting?
Yes. We deliver within a 10-mile radius from 10 AM to 8 PM, with a $35.97 minimum, a $7.98 fee, and free delivery over $99 — usually within about 45 minutes.

What fruits are offered during Chhath Puja?
Sugarcane, bananas, coconut, sweet lime (mosambi), and singhada (water chestnut) are traditional, along with seasonal fruit arranged on the soop with thekua.