Panchami Tithi Begins - 09:22 PM on Nov 24, 2025

Panchami Tithi Ends - 10:56 PM on Nov 25, 2025

On the day of Vivah Panchami, the divine marriage of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita took place. Therefore, this day is celebrated as the anniversary of the wedding of Lord Shri Rama and Goddess Sita. Vivah Panchami is one of the most popular festivals observed by followers of Hinduism. It commemorates the celestial and sacred marriage of Lord Shri Rama and Goddess Sita. According to the Hindu lunar calendar, this festival falls on the fifth day (Panchami) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) in the month of Margashirsha. The festival is celebrated with great devotion and reverence, especially in Mithila, Ayodhya, and throughout India.

The divine and extraordinary wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita is elaborately described in the Ramcharitmanas, Valmiki Ramayana, and other sacred scriptures. In Janakpuri—known today as Janakpur in Nepal—King Janaka’s daughter, Goddess Sita, was married to Shri Rama, the son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. King Janaka had organized a swayamvara (self-choice ceremony) for Sita’s marriage. The challenge set for the participants was to string the mighty bow of Lord Shiva. One by one, all the kings and princes present failed to accomplish this task. Finally, Lord Rama not only strung the bow but also broke it, thus fulfilling the condition for the marriage. Consequently, Goddess Sita was wed to Lord Rama. The festival of Vivah Panchami is celebrated in remembrance of this divine event.

According to descriptions found in Hindu scriptures, this sacred wedding took place in Janakpuri on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Margashirsha, amidst royal splendor and grandeur. On this auspicious occasion, the gods showered flowers from the heavens, and sages, Brahmins, and the people of Ayodhya and Mithila participated in the joyful celebration, transforming it into a grand festival. Therefore, Vivah Panchami is not merely a festival but a divine moment symbolizing the sacred union of the celestial couple. From a religious perspective, this day holds great spiritual significance. By remembering and celebrating the divine wedding on this day, devotees express their devotion and reverence toward Lord Rama and Goddess Sita. Devotees of Lord Rama celebrate the wedding of Sita and Rama with immense joy and enthusiasm. Worshiping Lord Rama on this day is believed to bestow happiness, prosperity, and harmony in married life. On this auspicious day, devotees seek the blessings of the divine couple for a blissful and prosperous marital life.

As part of the rituals, devotees take a sacred bath early in the morning and vow to observe a fast. They worship idols or images of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita with proper rituals, offering incense, lamps, flowers, fruits, and panchamrit (a mixture of milk, curd, honey, ghee, and sugar). The wedding episode from Valmiki Ramayana or Ramcharitmanas—specifically the section describing Sita’s swayamvara and marriage—is recited as part of the worship. In the evening, the wedding celebration is organized, featuring tableaux depicting the marriage of Shri Sita-Rama, devotional songs, and joyous chants.

In Janakpur, Nepal, the festival of Vivah Panchami is celebrated with exceptional grandeur. Even today, at the Janaki Temple in Janakpurdham, this festival is observed as a major event, drawing large numbers of devotees. Splendid tableaux, processions, and grand festivities recreate the scenes of the divine wedding. The festival is also celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion in Ayodhya.

According to religious texts, observing the fast of Vivah Panchami blesses devotees with a harmonious married life, good fortune, and fulfillment of desires. This vow is considered especially auspicious and fruitful for women who wish for marital happiness and unbroken conjugal bliss. Thus, Vivah Panchami is not merely a religious date but a sacred commemoration of the divine union of Goddess Sita and Lord Rama—a living symbol of devotion, love, righteousness, and virtue. The festival upholds the sanctity of marriage and exemplifies the ideal of a pure and harmonious household life within Hindu society.