Vivah Panchami 2024

On Vivah Panchami, people remember the wedding of Bhagavan Rama and Sita, which is believed to have happened on this day. It has a special importance in Ayodhya, which is where Bhagavan Rama was born, where old temples are decorated with lots of flowers and lights. According to ancient scriptures, this is a holy day, and taking part in the festival will bring balance, harmony, and happiness to married life, as well as overall peace and prosperity.

When is Vivah Panchami celebrated in 2024?

Vivah Panchami commemorates Bhagavan Rama and Goddess Sita's marriage in Treta Yug. It takes place on the fifth day of the Hindu month of Margashirsha, during the Shukla Paksha. The festival is celebrated in different parts of India and Nepal.

Vivah Panchami on Friday, December 6, 2024
Panchami Tithi Begins - 12:49 PM on Dec 05, 2024
Panchami Tithi Ends - 12:07 PM on Dec 06, 2024

Significance of Vivah Panchami

Goddess Sita and Bhagavan Ram married Vivah Panchami through Swayamvar ceremony which was prevalent in ancient India. ‘Swayam’ means self while ‘var’ means groom. During the Swamayvar ceremony, women chose their husband from a group of suitors who gathered at the venue to exhibit their talents to appease the bride.

King Janak had organized a Swayamvar for his daughter Goddess Sita. He had placed a condition that the ideal husband of Goddess Sita should lift the Pinaka bow of Bhagavan Shiva in front of the princess. Bhagavan Ram broke the bow into two. Thereby, he continued to serve to be an ideal husband for Goddess Sita.

Consequently, Vivah Panchami carries a significant religious and cultural importance because it represents the union of two revered deities, the ideal couple, and also serves as a reminder of the values of love, devotion, and righteousness in marriage.

The Story of Sita Swayamvar

In her childhood, Goddess Sita effortlessly lifted the Shiv Dhanush while playing with her sisters, a feat unmatched by anyone in the palace. Legend has it that Bhagavan Shiva wielded a mighty bow to disrupt the Daksha Yagya. Denied his rightful share, Bhagavan Shiva threatened to annihilate the demigods with his bow. The demigods pleased Bhagavan Shiva. The bow was later given to Devavrat, an ancestor of King Janak.

Impressed by Goddess Sita's effortless lifting of the Shiv Dhanush, King Janak made it a condition for her Swayamvar. During the Swayamvar, the suitor who could lift and string the bow would win the opportunity to marry Goddess Sita. Bhagavan Ram, his brother Laxman, and sage Vashishtha visited Mithila during Goddess Sita's Swayamvar. Bhagavan Ram desired to explore King Janak's Shiv Dhanush. Upon learning of the matter, King Janak graciously extended an invitation to Bhagavan Ram, Lakshman, and sage Vashishtha to grace his royal court. He mentioned that if the prince of Ayodhya can string the bow, he would wed his daughter to Bhagavan Ram. He doubted Bhagavan Ram's prowess, as even powerful beings like demigods, Asuras, Rakshasas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, and Nagas had failed to string the divine bow. King Janak's doubts vanished as Bhagavan Ram effortlessly lifted, strung, and bent the bow. The bow broke with a resounding crash. The Swayamvar attendees were awestruck and jealous of Bhagavan Ram. Messengers were dispatched to Ayodhya to deliver the news of Bhagavan Ram's extraordinary achievement. King Dashrath was invited to the wedding of Bhagavan Ram and Sita. King Janak and King Dashrath arranged Urmila's marriage to Laxman, the younger brother of Bhagavan Ram. The sages Vishwamitra and Vashishtha also proposed that Bharat and Shatrughan should marry Mandavi and Shrutakirti, the two daughters of King Janak's younger brother Kushadhwaj. The weddings were grand. Heavenly Apsaras danced to the melodious songs of the Gandharvas.

Amidst the joyous festivities in Mithila, an angered sage Parshurama stormed into King Janak's royal court and passionately confronted Bhagavan Ram. Parshurama mentioned that the two bows were crafted by the divine Vishwakarma and gifted to Shiva and Vishnu. He dared Bhagavan Ram to string the bow owned by Bhagavan Vishnu. Bhagavan Ram graciously accepted the challenge and successfully strung Parshurama's bow. Parshurama recognized Bhagavan Ram as the divine incarnation of Bhagavan Vishnu. He embraced defeat and withdrew from the palace. The divine Swayamvar of Goddess Sita culminated in the sacred union of Bhagavan Ram and Goddess Sita.

Vivah Panchami Puja Vidhi

Devotees wake up early in the morning and take a sacred bath.
After bathing and meditating on Vivah Panchami, cleanse the idols of Bhagavan Rama and Goddess Sita with Gangajal water. Then, adorn them with yellow clothes, flowers, and offer bhog. Finally, illuminate the area around them with oil lamps. Steps to follow:

• An idol of Bhagavan Ram, along with Goddess Sita, is adorned with beautiful clothes, jewelry, and flower garlands.
• A chowki is prepared and covered with a piece of fresh red or yellow cloth.
• Water, flowers, fruits, akshat, durva grass, and dhoop are offered to Bhagavan Ganesha to seek his blessings before commencing Bhagavan Ram and Goddess Sita's marriage ceremony.
• Haldi and kumkum are offered to Bhagavan Ram and Goddess Sita, followed by a red chunri, a piece of fresh cloth, and shringar samagri items such as bangles, kajal, mehendi, sindoor, bindi, alta, and other jewelry.
• A mauli, or sacred thread, is tied to the Bhagavan.
• A ghee diya, rose flowers, fresh fruits, sweets, and bhog are offered to Bhagavan Ram and Goddess Sita.
• Chant Ram Stuti and Aarti and organize Ramcharitmanas Paath.
• For the Gath Bandhan, two pieces of cloth—one attached to the goddess's clothing and the other to that of Bhagavan Ram—are tied, followed by chanting OM Janaki Vallabhaya Namah.
• During the wedding affair of the idols, reciting Bala Kandam Paath holds great importance.
• Gandham (perfume), Pushpam (flowers), Deepam (lamp), Dhoop (incense), and Naivedhyam are offered to the deities.
• Tamboolam consisting of paan, supari, banana, fruits, dakshina, haldi, kumkum, and a brown coconut with its husk broken into two equal pieces are also offered.
• Baal-Kand Katha, or Vivah Prasang, is recited and concluded by performing the Aarti.

Various rituals and pujas are performed on this day, including the recitation of the Ramayana, narration of the story of Bhagavan Ram, and Kalyanam, which marks the marriage ceremony of Goddess Sita and Bhagavan Ram.

Devotees visit Bhagavan Rama temples and offer flowers, incense, and sweets while reciting hymns from the Ramayana or Vishnu Sahasranama.

Vivah Panchami Mantra

श्री रामचन्द्राय नमः । राम रामेति रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे । सहस्त्र नाम तत्तुन्यं राम नाम वरानने ।। गायत्री मंत्र- ॐ दाशरथये विद्महे जानकी वल्लभाय धी महि।

Benefits of Vivah Panchami Puja

Conducting a puja on Vivah Panchami helps to alleviate marital issues.
Worshipping Bhagavan Ram and Goddess Sita on this day helps to get rid of all hurdles in a marriage. Reciting the Ramcharitmanas leads to a happy family life.
Unmarried girls attract desired partners, while married individuals attract blessings for a happy married life.

Vivah Panchami Celebrations

This social event is known as the 'Ram Vivah Utsav' and is quite popular. People often gather with friends and relatives in their homes or nearby communities to partake in the ritual. Participating in and witnessing this festival brings harmony and happiness to couples' married life, fostering peace and prosperity. The Vivah Panchami festival brings balance and removes obstacles, blessing those facing marriage issues with an ideal life partner.

Vivah Panchami is celebrated with great pomp in Ayodhya and Janakpur in Nepal. A procession of chariots along with idols of Bhagavan Rama and Goddess Sita are carried out in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. The temples are adorned with lamps, lights and flowers. Devotees observe a fast on this day.

There is a misconception among people today that the married life of a person becomes as painful as that of Goddess Sita if a marriage ceremony takes place on Vivah Panchami due to fourteen years of exile, and hence marriages are not arranged on this day. This is faithfully observed in Mithilanchal and Nepal. For years, it has been customary to refrain from arranging marriages on this day. Instead, this is considered a day for addressing current marital issues that are causing discord.

Married women celebrate Vivah Panchami for marital bliss, while unmarried women celebrate it to find suitable life partners. On the occasion of Ram Vivah Panchami, devotees of Bhagavan Rama and Mata Sita celebrate by performing a special puja, fasting throughout the day, and joyfully organizing their coming marriage ceremony.