Rishi Panchami 2022: Significance, history, how & when to perform puja and observe fast

Rishi Panchami is celebrated by Hindus on the fifth day of Shukla Paksha in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada to honour all the sages in India. It is celebrated the next day of Ganesh Chaturthi. This year, Rishi Panchami falls on September 1 (Thursday).

Rishi Panchami is also known as Guru Panchami or Bhai Panchami. On Rishi Panchami, special prayers are offered to the Saptarishis. In Hinduism seven great sages are known as Saptrishi. There names are Agastya, Atri, Bharadwaja, Gautam, Jamadagni, Vashishta, Vishwamitra. By observing fast on Rishi Panchami, one gets purification of body from past sins and blessings of sages.

Rishi Panchami story

According to some legends, that there was a brahmin named Uttank, who lived with his wife named Sushila. Their daughter was a widow, who lived with her parents. Worried Brahmin called a sage to know the reason behind the early widowhood of her daughter and her sufferings.

The Rishi told the Brahmin that her daughter is suffering because of her past sins. He said that in her previous life, she entered temple during her menstrual cycle period. When the father asked for a solution, the rishi suggested the daughter to observe a fast on Rishi Panchami for purifying her soul and body so that she can be relieved from her past and present sins.

The daughter observed the fast which helped her to purify her soul and body and get rid of all kinds of sins. Since that day, women observe fast on this day to purify their body and soul on this auspicious day.

Rishi Panchami Shubh Muhurat:
The auspicious time for Rishi Panchami Vrat puja is from 11.04 am to 01.36 pm on September 1, 2022.

How to perform Rishi Panchami Puja

• Take bath and wear clean clothes.
• Offer panchamrit and prasad to Saptarishi statues.
• Apply tikka to them.
• Offer flowers, dhoop, deepak to the saptarishis.
• Recite the saptrishi story

After completion of the puja, women should not consume cereals, but eat a special type of rice called Samak rice.