when is rishi panchami in 2026 Rishi Panchami falls on the fifth day (panchami tithi) of the waxing moon (bright half chandra during shukla paksha) in the month of Bhadrapada. The festival occurs in August or September everywhere, and the day after the sacred Ganesh Chaturthi begins.

The holy festival of Rishi Panchami honours the seven sages, also known as Sapt Rishi. These Rishis in Hindu culture are the receivers and preservers of Vedic knowledge, Sanatan culture and ideal living. The festival holds immense importance, and we celebrate it to overcome our past deeds and unintentional faults.

Rishi Panchami holds deep spiritual and cultural values and is observed mainly in India and Nepal. The blogs cover the importance of Rishi Panchami 2026, how we celebrate it, Rishi Panchami puja vidhi, why it matters and other important details.

Rishi Panchami 2026 Date and Timing

In 2026, Rishi Panchami falls on 15th of September, 2026 (Tuesday). A day after the sacred Ganesh Chaturthi on Monday, the festival marks the devotion towards- Sapt Rishi in Hinduism with purity, repentance, and gratitude. Following is the Rishi Panchami Muhurat as per Indian Standard Time (IST), New Delhi: 

Details

 Timing
Rishi Panchami Celebration Date

15th September 2026 (Tuesday)

Subh Muhurat

 11: 02 am to  01: 30 pm
Panchami Tithi Begins

07: 44 am (15th of September)

Panchami Tithi Ends

 08: 59 am (16th of September)
Hindu date 

Shukla Panchami, Bhadrapada

Rishi Panchami 2026 Subh Muhurat in Other Cities In India:

The muhurat time for Rishi Panchami varies from city to city in India. Here is the city-wise list of muhurat times when the puja is performed:

City

 Rishi Panchami Subh Muhurat Timing
Mumbai

11:20 am to 01: 47 pm

Pune

 11: 16 am to 01: 43 pm
Nashik

11: 16 am to 01: 43 pm

Nagpur

 10: 25 am to 01: 22 pm
Ahmedabad

11: 21 am to 01: 48 pm

Bengaluru

 11: 02 am to 01: 28 pm
Jaipur

11: 08 am to 01: 36 pm

Lucknow

 10: 47 am to 01: 15 pm
Patna

10: 31 am to 12: 58 pm

Amritsar

11: 11 am to 01: 40 pm

Rishi Panchami 2026 Muhurat time in Nepal, Kathmandu

City

 Rishi Panchami Subh Muhurat Timing
Kathmandu

10: 45 am to 01: 13 pm

What is Rishi Panchami?

Rishi Panchami significance lies in the liberation of the body and soul from past unethical and wrongful acts. Known as the Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami, it represents the purification of the soul and walking the path of righteousness. The day is dedicated to the Seven Sages named Kashyapa, Atri, Bharadwaja, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, and Vashishtha.

These illustrious sages delivered the sacred Sanatana knowledge that passes from generation to generation. The Rishis represent the ancient lineage of Sanatana Dharma and Vedic wisdom. Also, they teach the act of right living, moral values and self-control.

Although the celebration of the Rishi Panchami festival may slightly vary from culture to culture, the central theme behind this grand spiritual occasion is honouring and praying to the seven sages (Sapt Rishi) and their knowledge.

Unlike other festivals, where gatherings and celebrations are held, Rishi Panchami is performed through simple rituals and is observed quietly to ignite knowledge and discipline. It’s a festival of cleanliness of conscience and apology sought to the line of seers (Seven Sages) for the mistakes that may also have gradually become part of daily life.

Women mostly observe this festival as a day of cleansing and purification. They observe a fast, known as Spat Rishi or Rishi Panchami vrat, and follow the customs and rituals of Rishi Panchami, including the holy bath in water bodies or in their home. This is done to seek blessings for their family and as a part of reverence for the wisdom of the ancient sages and how their knowledge and ideas of living are passed down through generations.

According to custom and belief, the festival is also observed by women to cleanse any negligence that happened during religious activities, especially during their menstrual cycles.

Who are the Sapt Rishis?

The word Sapt means (Seven), and Rishi refers to a saint, so the term Sapt Rishi means the seven saints. According to the holy texts, Sapt Rishis are the seven mind-born holy persons or seers who receive and transmit the Vedas. People observe the festival of Rishi Panchami to honour these sages, which are as follows:

Sapt Rishis

Their Names

1

 Kashayapa
2

Atri

3

 Bharadhvaja
4

Vishvamitra

5

 Gauthama
6

Jamagagni

7

Vashishta
These sages are also the source of the Hindu gotra system, and every Hindu individual and family have their lineage back to one of these seven names. When we say our gotra, we name our ancestor who is one of these sages. We worship these sages on Rishi Panchami, and Women observe a fast to pay gratitude towards these legends for their deeds and contributions to the welfare of human beings.

Rishi Panchami Vrat Katha: The Legend of the Festival

Before we move on, understand the Rishi Panchami ki kahani (story). It is important to know that the observance of the festival is mentioned in the “Bharmanda Puran.” According to one legend (as per Rishi Panchami Kahani), Lord Krishna explains the Rishi Panchami importance and about the vrat. He describes how the Rishi Panchami vrat (fast) removes faults or purifies the souls of devotees for any negligence in dharmic duties and aligns with the wisdom of Rishis (Seven Sages).

As per another tale in the sacred text. There was a great soul and spiritual ascetic named Uttank live with her devotee wife, Sushila, in the land of Vidarbha. They had one son and a daughter. When their daughter reached marriageable age, they married her into a family of comparable status.

Due to ill fortune, the girl later became widowed. One day, the disaster struck the girl, and she woke up strangely, seeing worms covering her body. Terrified, she ran towards her Mother. Sushila discussed this matter with her husband and asked him why this happened to my daughter, even though she is a noble and virtuous girl.

Uttank attained a deep meditative state and took samadhi, and he explained that the mysteries happening to our daughter were due to her previous life’s negligence. She was still a Brahmin girl in her past life, and during her young age, she touched the household vessels during her menstruation days, and this was followed by other women also. She even not took the vrat of Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami (Rishi Panchami vrat) to cleanse her mistakes.

Knowing all this, Uttank advised her wife to let her observe the festival of Rishi Panchami and Sapt Rishis Vrat with devotion and full vidhi. This will clear all her undue karma and remove the errors. The daughter follows their parent instructions and did the same with a clean heart. Later, she overcame all her sufferings and was blessed with good fortune and a happy life ahead.

In a nutshell, Rishi Panchmi is all about purification of body, mind and soul through prayers, devotion and simplicity. It is a day when we remember the Sapt Rishis and express gratitude towards them with mindfulness and by following the simple rituals.

At the deepest level, it is not all about impurity or guilt, as the menstrual cycle reference was in the context of ancient times. In today’s world, families and individuals don’t follow the exact traditional and religious practices our ancestors did and break rules in ignorance. However, by observing the Rishi Panchami festival, one can acknowledge their mistakes and wrongdoings without shame and seek purification.

We all celebrate or observe the Rishi Panchami festival to uphold self-discipline, cleanse our past wrongdoings, and bring balance and harmony into our lives.

Rishi Panchami Puja Vidhi: How to Observe the Sapt Rishis Festival

Follow the step-by-step Rishi Panchami puja vidhi for correct observation of the festival:

Step 1: Bathing & Morning Rituals

Wake up early in the morning and take a fresh bath. Many devotees also decide to take a bath in holy rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, etc. A holy bath with clean water at home also works well. One can also add Gangaajal to the water.

Step 2: Setting up the Puja Space

Once the morning bath is done. Now, clean the puja asthan and place the red or yellow asan before it.

Step 3: Install the Saptarishi

Place the symbolic representation or idol of the Seven Sages. Many families place 7 betel nuts (suparis) or other sacred elements according to their culture. They are placed to symbolise the Seven Sages.

Step 4: Worshipping and Abhishek

After this, devotees sprinkle gangaajal, offer panchamrit, fruits and sweets to the Seven Sages. They also apply tilak (chandan) and offer akshat, flowers, and light a ghee diya before the representation.

Step 5: Prayer and Mantra Chanting

Now, devotees take sankalp and start with Ganpati prayers and mantra chanting. After that, they offer prayers to Sapt Rishis and the deity Arundhati. They also chant the relevant mantras, and all this will be done following the Rishi Panchami 2026 muhurat on 15 September (from 11: 02 am to 01: 30 pm).

Step 6: Rishi Panchami Vrat Katha and Aarti

After prayers, devotees read or listen to the Rishi Panchami ki katha and then finally conclude the worship with Aarti.

Step 7: Prasadam

Finally, after the puja, the worshipper gives prasad to their family members and known ones.

Rishi Panchami Vrat Vidhi: What to Eat After Vrat?

rishi panchami vrat vidhi what to eat after vrat

Unlike other festivals, Rishi Panchami vrat vidhi is distinct and various food items are forbidden to consume:

Mostly, married women observe fast on Rishi Panchami, and to break the fast, they cannot consume foods that are grown by ploughing the soil and using the bullock cart or tractor.

Food that can be eaten after the Rishi Panchami vrat includes: 

  • Fruits: Bananas, apples, pomegranates, mangoes and other seasonal fruits are commonly eaten during or after the fast.
  • Samak rice / Sama: Also called sanwa, moraiyo or mordhan, it is commonly used as a substitute for regular grains in some traditions.
  • Root vegetables and tubers: Depending on the regional tradition, foods such as sweet potato, colocasia (arbi), elephant foot yam (suran) and similar naturally grown foods may be eaten.
  • Seasonal vegetables: Some traditions allow vegetables that are considered suitable for the vrat, particularly those used in Rishi Panchami Bhaji.
  • Rishi Panchami Bhaji: Particularly associated with Maharashtra, this is a simple mixed-vegetable preparation made with seasonal vegetables, greens and tubers. The exact ingredients vary by household and region.
  • Milk and curd: These are included in some versions of the vrat diet, especially when devotees follow a simple sattvic or phalahari meal.
  • Peanuts: Peanuts are among the ingredients traditionally used in some preparations of Rishi Panchami Bhaji.

Rishi Panchami Mantra

The following is the correct mantra of the Rishi Panchami festival:

“कश्यपोऽत्रिर्भरद्वाजो विश्वामित्रोऽथ गौतमः। जमदग्निर्वसिष्ठश्च सप्तैते ऋषयः स्मृताः॥ दहन्तु पापं मे सर्वं गृह्नणन्त्वर्घ्यं नमो नमः॥ 

Kashyapo’trir Bharadwajo Vishwamitro’tha Gautamah,
Jamadagnir Vashishthashcha Saptaite Rishayah Smritah.
Dahantu Paapam Me Sarvam, Grihnantvarghyam Namo Namah.

Devotees should also chant the following mantras for Rishis and Deity- Arundhati 108 times, ideally at once
  • ॐ कश्यपाय नमः — Om Kashyapaya Namah
  • ॐ अत्रये नमः — Om Atraye Namah
  • ॐ भारद्वाजाय नमः — Om Bharadwajaya Namah
  • ॐ विश्वामित्राय नमः — Om Vishwamitryaya Namah
  • ॐ गौतमाय नमः — Om Gautamaya Namah
  • ॐ जमदग्नये नमः — Om Jamadagnaye Namah
  • ॐ वशिष्ठाय नमः — Om Vashishthaya Namah
Mata Arundhati mantra :
  • ॐ अरुंधत्यै नमः — Om Arundhatyai Namah

Rishi Panchami 2026 Highlights

Event 

 Rishi Panchami or Known for Sapt Rishi Puja. 
Date

15th September 2026 

Subh Muhurat

11: 02 am to  01: 30 pm as per IST (time may slightly varies according to the region, check your local panchang)

Sapt Rishis

Kashyapa, Atri, Bharadvaja, Vishvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Vasishtha

Matra

कश्यपोऽत्रिर्भरद्वाजो विश्वामित्रोऽथ गौतमः। जमदग्निर्वसिष्ठश्च सप्तैते ऋषयः स्मृताः॥ दहन्तु पापं मे सर्वं गृह्नणन्त्वर्घ्यं नमो नमः॥ 

Summary

Rishi Panchami or Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami-the fifth lunar day of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada. People across India and Nepal have celebrated this ancient tradition for centuries, especially in states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and parts of Nepal. Rishi Panchami is observed to worship and remember the Seven Sages of Hindu culture, known as Sapt Rishi. These Rishis received and transmitted the wisdom of the Vedas and ethical living, which is passed down from generation to generation. The festival, at its core, reflects the cleansing of old patterns and misdeeds and the abandonment of an idle life.