Rishi Panchami is a very important Hindu tradition. It is also known as Rushi Panchami. The post shares Rishi Panchami Katha, Significance, and Date 2024.
Rishi Panchami is not celebrated as a festival, but it is a fasting day (Vrata) in which Hindus worship “Sapta Rishis” to get rid of their past sins.
These seven sages are – Kashyap, Atri, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Bharadhvaja, and Vashishta.
Rishi Panchami is held on the fifth day of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Bhadrapad, one day after Ganesh Chaturthi. Usually, Rishi Panchami falls in August or September of the English Calendar.
Women mainly observe rishi Panchami as a fasting day in which they pay obeisance to the Sapta Rishis (The Seven Sages) to get purified from Rajaswala Dosha.
The Hindu religion gives immense importance to purity. It has strict guidelines on maintaining the purity of the body as well as the soul.
For instance, Hindus believe that women become contaminated during their menstrual cycle.
They maintain strict rules for women during the menstrual cycle. They cannot enter the kitchen to cook; they do not participate in any religious activities. Women are even not allowed to touch any family member.
If any woman avoids these guidelines, it creates Rajaswala Dosha. Rishi Panchami’s fasting is kept to get rid of Rajaswala Dosha.
Although Rushi Panchami’s fasting day is beneficial to one and all, it is specifically observed by the women to get rid of the Rajaswala Dosha.
On the Rushi Panchami Day, women express their devotion, faith, and respect towards the great sages. They pray to the sages to destroy the sins that have been committed unknowingly.
In the Hindu tradition, women are prohibited from involving themselves in religious activities or domestic works when experiencing menstruation.
When this prohibition is breached by mistake or due to some other reason, it leads to Rajaswala Dosha among women who have violated this norm. Fasting on Rushi Panchami Day helps to get rid of this Dosha.
In some parts of India, especially among the Maheshwari community, Rishi Panchami is also observed as Bhai Panchami.
On this day, sisters tie Rakhis (sacred thread) to their brothers. Sisters keep a fast on this day and pray for their brother’s well being and long life. They have food only after performing puja.
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Rishi Panchami Katha
Long-time ago, there was a Brahmin and his devoted wife in the Vidarbha region of India. The Brahmin was having a son as well as a daughter. His daughter was married to a cultured Brahmin man. However, the girl’s husband witnessed an untimely death. So, the girl was forced to live the life of a widow.
The girl came back to her father’s place and started living there again. As time went on, the girl was gripped in a disease. She got worms all over the body.
So, she was very sad as it created problems for her.
Her parents came to know of her disease and were immensely worried about the state of her affairs. They decided to visit a Rishi (Sage) to seek a solution to the problem.
Her parents told about the disease of their daughter to the Rishi. Now, the Rishi began analyzing the past lives of the Brahmin’s daughter. The Rishi appraised the Brahmin and his wife that their daughter had violated a religious rule in her past life.
She had touched some kitchen utensils while she was experiencing the menstrual cycle. So, she had committed a sin, which is being reflected in her present life. According to the Hindu Holy Scriptures, women are prohibited from touching religious things as well as kitchenware.
The Rishi went on to say that the girl had not observed the Rishi Panchami Vrata. It is because of this that she is facing the present problems.
The Rishi further advised the Brahmin that the girl should undertake to perform the Rishi Panchami Vrata with full devotion and faith and seek forgiveness for her sins committed in the past life. The Rushi Panchami Vrata will help her get rid of her past actions, and she will become free of the disease of worms in her body.
So, the girl kept the Rishi Panchami Vrata with full faith and devotion and got free from the disease of worms on her body.
Rushi Panchami Puja Vidhi and Rituals
You must bathe and wear clean clothes on Rishi Panchami Day. Draw a square-shaped diagram (known as Mandal) using Haldi, Kumkum, and Roli at a clean place in your house.
Now, you should place the image of Sapta Rishi (the seven sages) on the Mandal.
You should pour pure water and Panchamrit over the image of Sapta Rishi. Now, you should do the Tika of the image using Sandalwood. Put a garland of flowers over it and offers some flowers to the Sapta Rishis.
You can also offer a sacred thread in the form of Yagyopavita. It would help if you also offer them white clothes. One should put fruits and sweets in front of them. Light some incense sticks at the place.
You can perform this Rishi Panchami Puja Vidhi at home, on the river bank, or in a pond. Women should not have cereals after performing this puja. Instead, they have a special type of rice on Rishi Panchami Day.
There is also a custom of having a ritual bath in holy rivers. Along with Sapta Rishis, Lord Ganesh, Navagraha, and Arundathi are also worshipped on this day. Women offer Prasad to the Gods and wash their husband’s feet.
Rishi Panchami Date 2024
The Rishi Panchami or Rushi Panchami is observed one day after Ganesh Chaturthi and two days after Hartalika Teej on the fifth day of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Bhadrapad which falls in August or September.
Rishi Panchami will be observed on 8th September 2024, Sunday.
Rishi Panchami Puja Muhurat is from 11:03 AM to 01:34 PM
Panchami Tithi begins at 05:37 PM on 7th September 2024
Panchami Tith ends at 07:58 PM on 8th September 2024
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