The day of Rishi Panchami 2026 happens to be on a Tuesday, September 20, 2026 – a day after Ganesh Chaturthi has been observed. According to Hindu customs the ideal timing to perform Saptarishi puja is between 11:30 AM and 01:40 PM. Panchami tithi begins at 07:54 AM on September 15 and continues till 08:50 AM on September 16.
The ancient festival is called as Sama Pancham in Gujarat, Bhai Panchami or Bhaiya Panchami in Maheshwari’s culture, and Rishi Panchmi, Rushi Pancham or Rik Panchami in other states.
Well, the important Rishi Panchami festival is now near. Rishi Panchami is celebrated on the fifth lunar day of Shukla Paksha (Waxing Moon Fortnight) in the month of Bhadrapada, also called Bhado or Bhadwa as per the Hindu calendar. It falls on the very next day of Ganesh Chaturthi. This year Rishi Panchami falls on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. Rishi Panchami usually falls one day after Ganesha Chaturthi. It is a worship of the Sapta Rishi i.e. Kashyapa, Atri, Bharadwaja, Vishvamitra, Gautama Maharishi, Jamadagni and Vashishtha. Rishi Panchami Vrat primarily involves people expressing respect, gratitude, and remembrance to the great sages who contributed a lot to the welfare of society.
It is believed that fasting on Rishi Panchami Vrat is beneficial to one and all but this fast is more specifically observed by the women. The festival of Rishi Panchami is a woman’s way of expressing devotion, gratefulness, faith and respect towards one’s husband. Fasting on this festival can destroy the sins which one has committed unknowingly. So, let’s learn about this festival, the story behind it and the puja rituals associated with it.
Timing and Date of Rishi Panchami 2026
| Rishi Panchami 2026 | Date & Time |
|---|---|
| Rishi Panchami Date | Tuesday, 15 September 2026 |
| Puja Muhurat | 11:30 AM to 01:40 PM |
| Muhurat Duration | 2 Hours 10 Minutes |
| Panchami Tithi Begins | 07:54 AM on 15 September 2026 |
| Panchami Tithi Ends | 08:50 AM on 16 September 2026 |
Learn more about other auspicious days for you this year through Your 2026 Report which answers and offers steps for the year ahead.
Why Women Fast On Rishi Panchami
As per the Hindu tradition, women who are menstruating are forbidden to undertake religious activities or involve themselves in domestic work, including kitchen work. They are even prohibited to touch things related to religion. If this requirement has been breached by mistake or due to other reasons, it leads to Rajaswala Dosha among the women who have violated this norm. Women fast on Rishi Panchami to get rid of this dosh.
Other Names: Sama Pancham, Bhai Panchami and Maheshwari Rakhi
In Gujarat, Rishi Panchami is widely known as Sama Pancham, named after the samo (sama ke chawal, barnyard millet) eaten on this day in place of grain. It falls on Sud Pancham of Bhadarvi Maas, the day after Ganesh Choth, and is kept especially among Gujarat’s agricultural families. It is also written as Rushi Pancham, Rik Panchami, Bhadarva Pancham and Bhaiya Panchami in different regions.
Rishi Panchami is also known as Bhai Panchami. Sisters tie rakhis to brothers on this day in the Maheshwari community and the community observes Raksha Bandhan on Rishi Panchami rather than on Shravan Purnima. Sisters fast on this day and pray for their brother’s long life. They consume food only after performing the puja.
Bhai Dooj is yet another festival that foretells the love between brother and sister.
The Story Behind Rishi Panchami
The Brahmanda Purana records this katha, told by Lord Brahma to King Sitashva. In Vidarbha there once lived a brahmin named Uttank with his devoted wife Sushila. The Brahmin had a son and a daughter. He married his daughter to a cultured Brahmin man but the girl’s husband met with an untimely death, rendering the girl to lead the life of a widow. She came back to her father’s place and began living there again. Some days later, the girl got worms all over the body. It created problems for her. This worried her parents. Uttank entered deep samadhi and saw the cause.
The enlightened Rishi peeped into the past lives of the Brahmin’s daughter. Rishi told the Brahmin and his wife that their daughter had breached a religious rule in her past life. She had touched some kitchen utensils while she was menstruating. Thus, she had invited the sin which was getting reflected in her present birth. It is stated in the holy scriptures that a woman who is in menstruation period should not touch religious things and kitchenware. Rishi further told them that the girl had not observed the Rishi Panchami Vrat, that is the reason why she had to face these consequences.
The Rishi also told the Brahmin that if the girl undertakes the Rishi Panchami fast with full faith and devotion and seeks forgiveness for her sins, she will get rid of her past actions (karma) and become free of the worms on her body. The girl did what she was told by her father and she got free of the worms.
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The Puja Vidhi And Rituals To Be Undertaken On Rishi Panchami
- Wake early and take a ritual bath. A bath in the Ganga, Yamuna or Godavari is held to be most auspicious; if that isn’t possible, add a few drops of Ganga water to your bathing water at home. Some traditions use a mixture of curd, milk, tulsi and butter instead.
- Put on clean clothes and sprinkle holy water over your head and around the house.
- Make a square-shaped diagram (Mandal) using haldi, kumkum and roli at a clean place in your home.
- Place the image of the Sapta Rishi on the Mandal, and place seven knots of Kusha grass at the puja site – one for each sage.
- Worship Lord Ganesha first, as Pratham Pujya, before beginning the Saptarishi puja.
- Pour pure water and Panchamrut over the image of the sages. Do their tika using sandalwood (Chandan).
- Put on a garland of flowers and offer flowers to the Sapta Rish, and to Arundhati, wife of Vashishtha, who is worshipped alongside the seveni.
- Make them wear the sacred thread (Yagyopavit).
- Offer them white clothes, and also fruits, sweets, etc.
- Put incense etc at the place. In several regions, this process is undertaken on the river bank or near a pond.
- Read the Rishi Panchami vrat katha aloud and perform the aarti.
- Ask forgiveness for faults committed knowingly and unknowingly through the year. Distribute prasad, and touch the feet of the elders of the house before eating.
Women don’t consume cereals after this puja. Rather they consume samo (sama ke chawal, barnyard millet), which is why the day is called Sama Pancham in Gujarat. So, make the best use of the Rishi Panchami festival, do away with all your wrongs and gain what you want.
What to Eat and What to Avoid in Rishi Panchami Vrat
The vrat forbids grain grown on bullock-ploughed land, because the labour of the ox is held to carry sin. Samo (sama ke chawal), singhare ka atta and kuttu ka atta are used instead, since they are traditionally regarded as growing without that labour. Ordinary rice, wheat and salt are avoided.
With every culture, the tradition of eating changes in Rishi Panchami. In earlier days, devotees used to consume fruits that grow underground instead of food prepared from the grains. This day is significant for Jains. As there are two sects in Jainism, the shwetambar cult celebrates rishi Panchami as the end of Parshujan Maha Parva while the Digambar cult considers this day as the beginning of Maha Parva.
In Maharashtra, a special meal is cooked on this day known as rishi Panchami bhaji. It is cooked with seasonal vegetables. Usually, tubers are used while preparing this dish. This bhaji is cooked in a way, the way rishis used to prepare i.e. simple and without spices. On the day of Rishi Panchami, devotees who observe fast, consume this bhaji for opening the vrat.
The main ingredient of this bhaji is Amaranth leaves- chawli, elephant foot yam- suran, sweet potato-shakarkandi, potatoes- aloo, snake gourd- chichinda, peanuts- moongfali, pumpkin-kaddu, colocasia leaves- arbi ke patte, colocasia- arbi, and raw banana. All these vegetables are cooked in pots on the gas stoves. Earlier people used to cook this bhaji in earthen pots, nowadays, it is replaced by metal pots.
Thus, Rishi Panchami Vrat is dedicated to the selfless hard work of sages. It is a day that allows the devotees to cleanse their mind, body, and soul. It also strengthens the digestive system through fasting the whole day.
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FAQs
When is Rishi Panchami celebrated in 2026?
Rishi Panchami in 2026 is celebrated on Tuesday, 15 September.
What is the significance of Rishi Panchami?
Rishi Panchami is a festival dedicated to honoring the seven great sages, known as the Sapta Rishi. It is a day for expressing respect, gratitude, and remembrance towards these sages who greatly contributed to society’s welfare.
Who primarily observes the Rishi Panchami Vrat?
The Rishi Panchami Vrat is primarily observed by women as a way to express devotion and respect towards their husbands and to cleanse themselves of sins committed unknowingly.
What are the rituals performed on Rishi Panchami?
On Rishi Panchami, devotees take a bath, wear clean clothes, and create a Mandal with haldi, kumkum, and roli. They place images of the Sapta Rishi on the Mandal, perform rituals including offering flowers, fruits, and sweets, and avoid consuming cereals, opting instead for a special type of rice.
What is the traditional meal prepared on Rishi Panchami in Maharashtra?
In Maharashtra, a special meal called Rishi Panchami Bhaji is prepared using seasonal vegetables like amaranth leaves, elephant foot yam, sweet potato, and others. This dish is cooked simply, without spices, reflecting the traditional way of preparation by the rishis.