Lifestyle Desk – Chatt Puja 2026: Kharna has special religious and spiritual significance in the festival of Chhath. Kharna is worshiped on the second day of this four-day festival. On this day, devotees observe waterless fast from morning till evening and after sunset, worship Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya. After this, by taking the prasad of jaggery kheer and roti, they start a difficult 36-hour waterless fast. In many parts of the country including Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh, there is a tradition of making jaggery kheer as Kharna Prasad.
This kheer, prepared from milk, rice and jaggery, is a symbol of taste as well as tradition. However, as easy as it seems to make, equal care has to be taken in its preparation. Especially the right time of adding jaggery in kheer is very important. If jaggery is added directly to hot or boiling milk, the milk may curdle and the taste of the entire kheer may get spoiled. In such a situation, let us know the correct method of making creamy jaggery kheer for Kharna and some important tips.
Ingredients required to make jaggery kheer
Full cream milk – 1 liter
Rice – half cup
Jaggery – 150 to 200 grams
Water – as per need
Cardamom powder – half teaspoon
Method
- First of all, prepare the rice. Wash the rice with clean water two to three times. After this, soak it in water for 15 to 20 minutes. This will cook the rice quickly and give a good texture to the kheer.
- Now boil the milk well. Put milk in a thick bottomed pan or a big vessel and heat it on medium flame. After the milk starts boiling, reduce the flame. Keep stirring the milk occasionally, so that it does not stick to the bottom of the vessel.
- Drain the water from the soaked rice and put it in boiling milk. Now let the rice cook on low flame. Keep stirring the kheer in between. Cook the milk until the rice melts well. During this time the milk will gradually thicken and the kheer will start getting a creamy texture.
- Now break the jaggery into small pieces in a separate vessel. Add some lukewarm water to it and dissolve the jaggery. After this, filter this mixture, so that the soil or other impurities present in it are removed.
- The most important thing is the right time to add jaggery. When the rice is completely cooked and the kheer becomes thick, then turn off the gas. Let the kheer cool for some time. When the boiling subsides and the temperature reduces slightly, then slowly add the filtered jaggery solution. Keep stirring continuously, so that the jaggery dissolves well in the kheer.
- After mixing the jaggery well, if you wish, you can add some cardamom powder. However, simplicity and purity are preferred in traditional Kharna Prasad. After the kheer is ready, serve it as prasad.
Avoid these mistakes while making jaggery kheer
Do not add jaggery directly into hot milk
This is the most common mistake. Some acidic and other natural elements present in jaggery can affect the proteins of hot milk, causing the milk to curdle. Therefore, after the kheer is cooked, turn off the gas and let it cool down a bit and then add jaggery.
cook rice thoroughly
The rice should melt completely before adding jaggery. After adding jaggery, avoid boiling the kheer for a long time to cook the rice.
use a thick bottomed vessel
This reduces the risk of milk getting stuck and the kheer getting burnt. It is also important to keep stirring the kheer continuously while cooking it.
Keep in mind the quantity of jaggery
Adding too much jaggery can make the kheer excessively sweet. So add less quantity in the beginning and balance the taste as per need.
Keep in mind the purity of Kharna's Prasad.
In the festival of Chhath, Kharna Prasad is not just food but is considered a symbol of faith, devotion and purity. Therefore, special care should be taken about cleanliness while preparing it. As per tradition, Prasad is prepared by the Vrati with complete purity and rules. Roti made of wheat flour or other traditional prasad is offered along with jaggery kheer.
In this way, by taking some small precautions, you can prepare delicious, aromatic and creamy jaggery kheer for Kharna. The most important thing is that do not add jaggery directly into boiling milk. By keeping this one thing in mind, both the taste and texture of the kheer will be better.