Gujarati women cook food a day before Shitala Satam.
Randhan Chhath, which means "the cooking sixth", is a much loved Gujarati tradition observed the day before Shitala Satam. Its name says it all: on this day women cook all the food that the family will eat the next day, because on Shitala Satam no fire is lit and no fresh cooking is done. From traditional dishes like thepla, bajra rotla, bhakhri and various shaak to sweets, everything is prepared in advance and kept ready.
At the end of the day, after all the cooking is done, the stove or chulha is cleaned, worshipped and given rest, for it will not be used again until after Shitala Satam. This gentle custom carries a quiet wisdom: it gives the hearth and the women of the home a day of rest, and it reminds the family to value the food and the fire that nourish them. Randhan Chhath and Shitala Satam together form one of the most homely and heartfelt traditions of Gujarat.
Randhan Chhath 2026 is on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, the day before Shitala Satam.
On Randhan Chhath, all the food for the next day is cooked in advance, since no fire is lit on Shitala Satam. After cooking, the stove is cleaned, worshipped and given rest.