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As preparations for Chhath Puja 2025 gather momentum across northern India, several states — including Delhi, Bihar, and West Bengal — have declared school holidays on October 27 to allow devotees to participate in the traditional four-day festivities. The festival, dedicated to worshipping the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, holds deep cultural and spiritual significance, with rituals and offerings performed along riverbanks, ponds, and other water bodies.
Meanwhile, with Cyclone Montha expected to bring heavy rainfall to parts of the east coast, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have also announced the closure of all educational institutions as a precautionary measure.
Here’s a state-wise look at where schools will remain closed on October 27 due to Chhath Puja observances and weather alerts.
Schools across Delhi will remain closed on October 27 in observance of the Chhath Puja festival. The announcement of the holiday was made on Friday by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, recognising the deep cultural and spiritual importance of the festival in Delhi. According to the notification released by the General Administration Department (GAD), the holiday has received formal approval from the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
Educational institutions in Bihar will stay shut until October 29 to mark Chhath Puja. The holiday period began on October 18, covering both Diwali and Chhath celebrations.
All government and private schools, colleges, and educational institutions in Lucknow will be closed till October 28th, following an official directive from the District Magistrate. Schools in Gorakhpur also closed till October 28.
Jagadhatri Puja, a prominent festival in West Bengal, will be celebrated with great enthusiasm. Schools in the state will be closed on October 31 for the occasion. Additionally, closures are in effect on October 27 and 28 for Chhath Puja.
The Board of Intermediate Education announced that, due to the impending Cyclone Montha and in the interest of student safety, district Collectors in Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, and YSR Kadapa have declared holidays for all government, aided, and private junior colleges in their districts from October 27 to 31.
All schools, anganwadi centres, and colleges in Odisha’s Gajapati district will remain closed until October 30 due to Cyclone Montha. Eight southern districts — Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nabarangpur — have been designated as Red Zones. Authorities have advised all 30 districts to stay alert in case the cyclone shifts its path.
Chhath Puja is a four-day elaborate celebration in honour of the Sun, which involves a long fast without water, and making offerings to Usha and Pratyusha, the light of the rising and the setting Sun, while standing in a water body.
Chhath Puja begins on the sixth day of the Kartik month, generally in October-November. Some people celebrate it in the month of Chaitra also (in April), which is called the Chaiti Chhath.
