The grand festival of Chhath Puja, celebrated with deep faith and devotion across India, not only showcased the country’s rich cultural and civilizational heritage but also created a significant economic impact this year. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call to promote and purchase Swadeshi (indigenous) products, coupled with recent GST rate reductions, led to a remarkable blend of devotion and economic activity during this sacred festival.

According to an assessment conducted after the conclusion of the festival, more than 10 crore people across India celebrated Chhath Puja, generating business worth over ₹50,000 crore nationwide. Of this, Delhi alone recorded trade of around ₹8,000 crore, Bihar approximately ₹15,000 crore, and Jharkhand about ₹5,000 crore. This study forms part of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT)’s ongoing research project on India’s “Sanatan Economy”, which annually evaluates the total expenditure and business generated during festivals and weddings across the country.

*CAIT Secretary General and Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk, Shri Praveen Khandelwal*, stated that the traditional states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, especially the Purvanchal region, remained the major centres of Chhath Puja celebrations, witnessing the largest congregations, ghats, and demand for ritual goods.

However, Delhi and the NCR region also saw a massive business boom owing to a large Purvanchali population. The Delhi Government constructed around 1,500 ghats, spending substantially on ritual materials, temporary structures, security, and sanitation services.

In West Bengal, widespread celebrations were observed along the Ganges due to a large migrant community, while states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan undertook extensive repair and development of ponds and ghats. Odisha, Karnataka, and Telangana also recorded significant local market activity driven by migrant populations.

Shri Khandelwal noted that Chhath Puja’s economic footprint has now expanded beyond its traditional regions into metros and emerging states, where migrant communities have generated strong local demand.

He further stated that major items sold during the festival included agricultural produce such as bananas, sugarcane, coconuts, seasonal fruits, rice, and grains; prasad and sweets like thekua, kheer ingredients, laddoos, and jaggery-based items; and puja materials like baskets, earthen lamps (diyas), leaf plates, flowers, and clay utensils. There was also significant business in festival-related services such as ghat construction, lighting, sanitation, boat services, and security arrangements.

Shri Khandelwal highlighted that Prime Minister Modi’s Swadeshi call was enthusiastically embraced by trade bodies and the public alike. Across India, local markets launched “Swadeshi Chhath” campaigns promoting traditional thekua makers, clay artisans, bamboo and banana-leaf basket weavers, and jaggery producers. This initiative notably boosted the sales of local handicrafts and indigenous products.

He added that during 2025, under the Prime Minister’s GST Savings Festival, substantial tax rate reductions were implemented, which had already driven strong Diwali sales. The same positive momentum extended into Chhath Puja purchases, as the combined festive sentiment of Diwali and Chhath resulted in a further rise in consumer demand.

The total public expenditure by state and local governments on ghat construction, civic preparations, and auxiliary services across the country is estimated to be in the range of hundreds to thousands of crores of rupees.

Chhath Puja also generated significant short-term employment opportunities, benefiting small vendors, thekua makers, sanitation workers, boatmen, security personnel, and transport operators — reinforcing its contribution not only to faith and culture but also to India’s growing Sanatan economy- said Shri Khandelwal