Vivah Panchami 2026: Date, Puja, Ayodhya and Janakpur

Facts checked November 2026.

Vivah Panchami is the day Hindus remember the wedding of Shri Ram and Mata Sita. Ayodhya, the city of Ram, and Janakpur in Nepal, the city of Sita, both celebrate it with deep devotion. This guide gives the 2026 date, what the day means, how families can do a simple puja at home, and how to plan a yatra to Ayodhya or Janakpur.

This page is part of our Yatra Calendar 2027 guide. Planning the yatra? See our Aaj Ka Panchang (today’s tithi and muhurat).

Vivah Panchami 2026 kab hai?

Vivah Panchami 2026 is on Monday, 14 December 2026. The festival is kept on the Panchami (fifth) tithi of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of the month of Margashirsha, also called Agahan or Mangsir.

Drik Panchang gives these timings for New Delhi:

• Panchami tithi begins: 4:47 PM on Sunday, 13 December 2026
• Panchami tithi ends: 7:15 PM on Monday, 14 December 2026

Because the tithi is present at sunrise on 14 December, the festival is kept on that day. Sunrise and puja muhurat differ a little from city to city, so check your local panchang for exact puja timings. In Nepal, where the month is called Mangsir, the festival is known as Bibaha Panchami.

What does Vivah Panchami mean?

Vivah means wedding and Panchami means the fifth tithi. The day marks the wedding of Shri Ram and Mata Sita. According to the Ramayana tradition, King Janaka of Mithila held a swayamvara for his daughter Sita. Shri Ram broke the great bow of Lord Shiva, and this fulfilled the condition for the marriage. The wedding took place in Janakpuri, which is identified with today’s Janakpur in Nepal.

Devotees see Ram and Sita as the ideal couple. As per Drik Panchang, many devotees fast on this day and pray for a happy married life. In Mithila, Sita is loved as a daughter of the land, so the festival feels like a family wedding there.

Vivah Panchami dates and places at a glance

Event schedules in Janakpur and Ayodhya are set each year by local organisers. Treat the 2025 programme above as a guide to what usually happens, not as the 2026 timetable.

How is Vivah Panchami celebrated in Janakpur?

Janakpur Dham, in Dhanusha district of Madhesh Pradesh, Nepal, is believed to be the birthplace of Sita and the capital of ancient Mithila. Vivah Panchami is one of its biggest festivals. Devotees come from across Nepal and from India, including from Ayodhya.

Based on news reports of the 2025 festival, this is what happens:

• A week of festivities: re-enactments of the wedding, processions and dance performances run for about a week.
• Two processions (dolas): idols of Ram and Sita are carried from the Ram Temple and the Janaki Temple, led by sadhus, saints and devotees, with tableaux, bhajans and music groups.
• Symbolic swayamvara: at the Barha Bigha Rangabhoomi ground, Ram and Janaki exchange garlands as per Vedic rites. Flowers were showered from a helicopter in 2025.
• Wedding rites at night: the dolas go around the city and return to Janaki Mandir, where wedding rituals continue through the night.
• Ram Kalewa: the festival ends the next day with this ritual.

A Ram Baraat (wedding party) also travels from Ayodhya to Janakpur. In 2024, it was reported to leave Ayodhya on 26 November, ahead of Vivah Panchami at Janakpur on 6 December. These dates change every year.

The Janaki Mandir is dedicated to Sita. Its garden holds the Vivah Mandap, a wedding courtyard dedicated to Ram and Sita. Expect very large crowds near Janaki Mandir and on the route to Barha Bigha on the main day.

How is Vivah Panchami celebrated in Ayodhya?

In Ayodhya, the day is kept as the Vivah Utsav of Sita and Ram in temples linked with Shri Ram. The city fills with kirtans, ceremonies and devotees.

In 2025, Vivah Panchami fell on 25 November. That day, the Dharma Dhwaja (saffron flag) was hoisted on the top peak of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The UP Culture Department also arranged music and folk dance by more than 500 artists, from the temple area to city points such as Ram ki Paidi and Lata Chowk.

In 2024, Swarajya reported that a tilakotsav was planned in Ayodhya on 18 November with tilak gifts sent from Janakpur, followed by haldi, mehendi and other wedding rites for Shri Ram as a groom before the baraat left for Janakpur.

Kanak Bhawan is a natural stop for devotees on this day. As per the UP government, tradition says Queen Kaikeyi gave this palace to Ram and Sita as a wedding gift. Three pairs of Ram and Sita idols are installed in its sanctum. The UP government lists its winter timings as 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon and 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Confirm timings on arrival, as they can change on festival days. For Ram Mandir darshan tips, read our Ayodhya Ram Mandir darshan guide.

How to do Vivah Panchami puja at home?

You do not need to travel to keep Vivah Panchami. Drik Panchang describes these common observances. A simple home puja can follow these steps:

1. Wake early and bathe. Take a sankalpa (vow) for the fast if you plan to keep one.
2. Set up the altar. Place an idol or picture of Ram and Sita on a clean cloth.
3. Do abhishek. If you have idols, bathe them with panchamrit, then wipe and dress them.
4. Make offerings. Offer flowers, incense (dhoop), a lamp (deep), fruit and naivedya (food offering).
5. Read or listen to the katha. Recite the Sita swayamvara and wedding episodes from the Valmiki Ramayana or the Ramcharitmanas.
6. Evening celebration. Families sing bhajans and mangal geet, and some hold a small symbolic wedding of Ram and Sita.
7. Close the fast. Share prasad with family and break the fast as per your family custom.

Customs differ between families and regions. If you are unsure, ask your family priest.

Are weddings held on Vivah Panchami?

There are two views, and both are traditions.

• A day to avoid weddings: Many families do not hold weddings on Vivah Panchami. A 2025 Aaj Tak explainer says this is linked to the hardships Ram and Sita faced after marriage, such as the 14-year exile and Sita’s later trials. People believe a couple married on this day may face difficulties.
• A day seen as auspicious: A 2025 ANI report from Janakpur described the day as believed to be auspicious for marriage and starting a family.

Practice varies by family and region. If you are fixing a wedding date near Vivah Panchami, ask your family priest which custom your family follows.

How to plan a Vivah Panchami yatra to Ayodhya or Janakpur

Ayodhya: As per the UP government, Ayodhya is about 135 km from Lucknow, 145 km from Gorakhpur and 210 km from Varanasi, and is linked by road and rail. Mid-December is winter in Uttar Pradesh, so carry warm clothes for early morning darshan. Book stays early, as the city gets busy around festivals. Our Ayodhya Mandir Darshan Yatra and Kashi Ayodhya Darshan Yatra pages show what is included.

Janakpur: Janakpur is in Nepal. Indians need a valid passport or an original Voter ID card:

• A valid Indian passport, or
• An original Voter ID card with photo issued by the Election Commission of India. A downloaded or printed online copy is not accepted.

The Embassy of India in Kathmandu says Aadhaar is not accepted. It also lists PAN card and driving licence as not accepted. Check the Embassy page for the latest rules before you go.

For rail travel, a cross-border line runs from Jaynagar in Bihar to Kurtha in Nepal, passing through Janakpur. It is about 35 km long and opened for passengers on 3 April 2022. Check current train timings before you travel.

Janakpur also fits well with other Ramayana sites. See our Nepal Tirtha Yatra and Ramayana Circuit Darshan in Bihar.

Also in Margashirsha month: Gita Jayanti at Kurukshetra

How Yatra To Temples can help

If you wish to have darshan in Ayodhya around Vivah Panchami, see our Ayodhya Mandir Darshan Yatra for the plan and inclusions. For festival dates, a Janakpur add-on or other extras, ask us.

Frequently asked questions

When is Vivah Panchami in 2026?

Vivah Panchami 2026 is on Monday, 14 December. Panchami tithi runs from 4:47 PM on 13 December to 7:15 PM on 14 December, as per Drik Panchang for New Delhi.

Which tithi is Vivah Panchami?

It falls on Margashirsha Shukla Panchami, the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Margashirsha. In Nepal, the month is called Mangsir.

When is Vivah Panchami in 2027?

Vivah Panchami 2027 falls on Friday, 3 December 2027, as per Drik Panchang. The tithi runs from 1:43 PM on 2 December to 4:13 PM on 3 December (New Delhi).

Where is the biggest Vivah Panchami celebration?

Janakpur Dham in Nepal, believed to be Sita’s birthplace, holds a week-long festival with processions and a symbolic swayamvara. Ayodhya and the Mithila region also celebrate it widely.

Can I use Aadhaar to go to Janakpur?

No. Indians need a valid passport or an original Voter ID card. The Embassy of India in Kathmandu says Aadhaar is not accepted.

Can I keep a fast on Vivah Panchami?

Yes, many devotees fast and worship Ram and Sita on this day, praying for a happy married life. Follow your family custom on what to eat and when to break the fast.

Why do some families avoid weddings on Vivah Panchami?

The belief is linked to the hardships Ram and Sita faced after their marriage. Others consider the day auspicious, so ask your family priest before fixing a date.

Is Kanak Bhawan linked to the Ram–Sita wedding?

Yes. As per the UP government, tradition says Kaikeyi gave Kanak Bhawan to Ram and Sita as a wedding gift. Its sanctum holds three pairs of Ram and Sita idols.