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Shukla paksha · Magha · amanta reckoning
Thu, 11 Feb
Basant Panchami 2027 is on Thursday, 11 February. It is Panchami of Shukla paksha in Magha.
2028: Monday, 31 January 2028
Also called Vasant Panchami, Saraswati Puja. Those are the same observance and the same date, so they share this page rather than competing with it from a second URL.
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Thursday, 11 February 2027
Basant Panchami is not a Gregorian date. It is Shukla paksha tithi 5 of Magha in the amanta reckoning, and the Gregorian day it lands on moves by up to a month between years because twelve lunations fall about eleven days short of a solar year.
Sunrise in New Delhi falls at 7:02 AM on that day, and that is the instant the tithi has to be running at for the day to carry the observance. It is computed for this city rather than assumed, because it is what decides the date.
The two instants above are the astronomy and are not in dispute. The day is an interpretation of them: this observance is decided at sunrise, so it belongs to the day whose sunrise the tithi carries — not simply to the day the tithi begins.
Basant Panchami, also called Vasant Panchami, the fifth day of the bright half of Magha, welcomes spring and is the day of Saraswati, goddess of learning, speech, music and the arts: homes and schools worship her in yellow, books and instruments are placed at her feet, and small children write their first letters. In New Delhi it falls on Thursday, 11 February 2027, and the Saraswati Puja muhurat is 7:02 AM to 12:35 PM, the forenoon while Panchami runs. Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Assam keep the day as Saraswati Puja; Punjab flies kites for Basant.
| Muhurat | Time in New Delhi | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Saraswati Puja muhurat | 7:02 AM to 12:35 PMPurvahna: from sunrise to the middle of the day, while Panchami runs. | Purvahna, from sunrise to the middle of the day, while Panchami runs: the classical time for Saraswati's worship, and the part of the day that decides the date, for the festival is kept on the day whose forenoon Panchami fills, even when Panchami also holds the next sunrise. Homes, schools and pandals hold the puja in the morning; in a year when Panchami begins after sunrise the window opens with it, and when it ends before midday the window closes with it, so start early. |
| Sunrise | 7:02 AMThe upper edge of the Sun on the horizon, with refraction. | The forenoon, and with it the puja window, begins at sunrise, or in a year when Panchami begins later, at its start. Families bathe, dress in yellow and set up the altar before it, so that the worship begins as the window opens. |
| Abhijit Muhurat | 12:13 PM to 12:57 PMThe 8th of the day's fifteen muhurtas, around local noon. | The midday muhurta, used by those who cannot worship in the morning and by families who hold a ceremony on this day, such as a child's first lesson, a griha pravesh or an engagement. There is no Abhijit on a Wednesday, by convention. |
| Auspicious choghadiya (day) |
| The day's Amrit, Shubh, Labh and Chal choghadiyas, for those who time a purchase, a journey or the start of a new course or instrument by the choghadiya. |
| Window | Time in New Delhi | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Abhijit Muhurat | 12:13 PM to 12:57 PM | Auspicious |
| Amrit Kaal | 3:13 AM to 4:52 AM | Most Auspicious |
| Brahma Muhurat | 5:19 AM to 6:11 AM | Auspicious |
These are the spans classical muhurta sets aside for beginnings. They are descriptions of a convention, not warnings: the observance is kept on its day regardless, and nothing here needs to be bought, corrected or remedied.
| Window | Time in New Delhi |
|---|---|
| Rahu Kaal | 1:58 PM to 3:21 PM |
| Yamaganda Kaal | 7:02 AM to 8:25 AM |
| Durmuhurta First | 10:44 AM to 11:28 AM |
| Durmuhurta Second | 3:10 PM to 3:55 PM |
| Varjyam | 5:19 PM to 6:58 PM |
Every time above is computed for New Delhi around Thursday, 11 February 2027, from the sunrise, sunset and the positions of the Sun and Moon for this city. The Vedic day runs sunrise to sunrise, so a window whose clock time falls after midnight still belongs to the evening before; a time on another date carries that date.
Bathe early and wear yellow, or white, the colours of Saraswati and of the mustard fields in bloom. Clean the puja corner; a study table or a music room is just as fitting.
Place a low chowki facing east or north, cover it with a yellow or white cloth and seat Saraswati's idol or picture on it, with Ganesh beside her. Families who keep a kalash place it at one side on a little rice, with water and mango leaves.
Place books, notebooks, pens, the inkpot and musical instruments at her feet. Students add their school books; artists their brushes; musicians their veena, sitar, harmonium or tabla.
Sip water three times, sprinkle Ganga jal on yourself and the samagri, and take the sankalp with water, rice and a flower in the right hand: your name, gotra and place, and that you worship Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami for knowledge and a clear mind.
Offer water, roli, rice, durva and a sweet to Ganesh with Om Gam Ganapataye Namah, so that the worship goes without obstacles.
Invite Saraswati with folded hands, saying Om Aim Saraswatyai Namah. Offer water for her feet and hands, white or yellow sandalwood paste, rice, a yellow chunari, and yellow and white flowers: marigold, mustard flowers, jasmine, and in Bengal palash and mango blossom.
Offer yellow sweets such as boondi laddoos or kesar rice, ber (jujube) and fruit of the season, and paan with supari. In Bengal the first ber of the year is offered here, and many families do not eat it until Saraswati has been given it.
Recite Ya Kundendu, the Saraswati Namastubhyam verse and her beej mantra on a mala of 108. In Bengal the family offers flowers three times with the pushpanjali that begins Jaya jaya devi, repeating after the priest.
If there is a small child in the house, this is the day for the first lesson: in Bengal, hate khori, the child's hand guided to write the first letters with chalk on a slate; elsewhere, Om or the alphabet written in rice or on paper with the help of an elder or a teacher.
Sing the aarti Jai Saraswati Mata with a ghee lamp or camphor, ring the bell, offer flowers with folded hands and ask pardon for any mistake made in the worship.
Share the prasad. By Bengali and Odia custom the books stay at Saraswati's feet until the next morning and are not opened for study that day; after a short puja the next day, with curd and flattened rice in Bengal (dadhikarma), they are taken back and the idol is immersed.
ॐ ऐं सरस्वत्यै नमः
Om Aim Saraswatyai Namah
Meaning: Om, aim: salutation to Saraswati. Aim is the seed syllable of Saraswati, the sound of speech and learning.
When and how: 108 times on a mala in the puja muhurat; students often chant it once before study through the year.
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता ।
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना ।
या ब्रह्माच्युतशङ्करप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा पूजिता ।
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा ॥
Ya kundendu-tushara-hara-dhavala ya shubhra-vastravrita
Ya vina-vara-danda-mandita-kara ya shveta-padmasana
Ya brahmachyuta-shankara-prabhritibhir devaih sada pujita
Sa mam patu Sarasvati bhagavati nihshesha-jadyapaha
Meaning: She who is white as the jasmine, the moon and a garland of snow, who is dressed in white, whose hands are adorned with the veena and the gesture of blessing, who sits on a white lotus, who is ever worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the gods: may that Saraswati protect me and remove all dullness of mind.
When and how: The opening verse of a Saraswati Stotram, sung as her vandana in schools and homes. Recite it once at the start of the worship and again with the flower offering.
सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।
विद्यारम्भं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥
Sarasvati namastubhyam varade kamarupini
Vidyarambham karishyami siddhir bhavatu me sada
Meaning: Salutation to you, Saraswati, giver of boons, who takes any form you wish; I begin my learning: may I always succeed in it.
When and how: Said at a child's first lesson, before opening a new book or course, and by students before study; once or three times.
जय सरस्वती माता, मैया जय सरस्वती माता।
सद्गुण वैभव शालिनी, त्रिभुवन विख्याता॥
जय सरस्वती माता॥
चन्द्रवदनि पद्मासिनि, द्युति मंगलकारी।
सोहे शुभ हंस सवारी, अतुल तेजधारी॥
जय सरस्वती माता॥
बाएं कर में वीणा, दाएं कर माला।
शीश मुकुट मणि सोहे, गल मोतियन माला॥
जय सरस्वती माता॥
देवी शरण जो आए, उनका उद्धार किया।
पैठी मंथरा दासी, रावण संहार किया॥
जय सरस्वती माता॥
विद्या ज्ञान प्रदायिनि, ज्ञान प्रकाश भरो।
मोह अज्ञान और तिमिर का, जग से नाश करो॥
जय सरस्वती माता॥
धूप दीप फल मेवा, माँ स्वीकार करो।
ज्ञानचक्षु दे माता, जग निस्तार करो॥
जय सरस्वती माता॥
माँ सरस्वती की आरती, जो कोई जन गावे।
हितकारी सुखकारी ज्ञान भक्ति पावे॥
जय सरस्वती माता॥
जय सरस्वती माता, जय जय सरस्वती माता।
सद्गुण वैभव शालिनी, त्रिभुवन विख्याता॥
जय सरस्वती माता॥
Jai Saraswati Mata, maiya jai Saraswati Mata.
Sadgun vaibhav shalini, tribhuvan vikhyata.
Jai Saraswati Mata.
Chandravadani padmasini, dyuti mangalkari.
Sohe shubh hans savari, atul tejdhari.
Jai Saraswati Mata.
Bayen kar mein veena, dayen kar mala.
Sheesh mukut mani sohe, gal motiyan mala.
Jai Saraswati Mata.
Devi sharan jo aaye, unka uddhar kiya.
Paithi Manthara dasi, Ravan sanhar kiya.
Jai Saraswati Mata.
Vidya gyan pradayini, gyan prakash bharo.
Moh agyan aur timir ka, jag se naash karo.
Jai Saraswati Mata.
Dhoop deep phal meva, Maa sweekar karo.
Gyanchakshu de Mata, jag nistar karo.
Jai Saraswati Mata.
Maa Saraswati ki aarti, jo koi jan gave.
Hitkari sukhkari gyan bhakti pave.
Jai Saraswati Mata.
Jai Saraswati Mata, jai jai Saraswati Mata.
Sadgun vaibhav shalini, tribhuvan vikhyata.
Jai Saraswati Mata.
Text as it is commonly sung. The Gita Press Aarti Sangrah differs in several lines: it reads 'dev sharan mein aaye' for 'devi sharan jo aaye', 'asur-sanhar kiya' for 'Ravan sanhar kiya', 'ved-gyan-pradayini, buddhi-prakash karo, mohagyan timir ka satvar naash karo' for the fifth stanza, 'pooja sweekar karo' for 'Maa sweekar karo' and 'sab gun-gyan bharo' for 'jag nistar karo'. Printed text
A popular telling of creation says that when Brahma had made the world, he found it silent: there was form but no sound, no word, no song. He sprinkled water from his kamandalu, and a radiant goddess appeared, holding a veena, a book and a mala. When she played, the rivers began to murmur, the birds to sing and all beings found speech; Brahma named her Saraswati, the goddess of speech and knowledge, and tradition keeps Magha Shukla Panchami as the day of her appearance.
Saraswati is older than her image with the veena. In the Rigveda she is a great river, praised as the best of mothers, the best of rivers and the best of goddesses, and her waters become the flow of inspired speech; the later tradition makes her Vak, speech itself, and the consort of Brahma. She is shown in white, seated on a white lotus or a swan, the bird said to separate milk from water, as wisdom separates the true from the false.
The same day welcomes Vasant, spring, the companion of Kamadeva: the mustard is in yellow flower, the mango trees bud, and in Braj the forty days of Holi begin at Basant Panchami, when the first gulal is played in the temples of Vrindavan and the stake for the Holika fire is set in the ground.
Basant Panchami is the day of learning: students, teachers, writers, musicians and artists worship the tools of their work, children begin their education, and schools hold Saraswati Puja. Yellow, the colour of the season's mustard fields and of Saraswati's prasad, is worn and cooked. The day is also called Shri Panchami, and some families worship Lakshmi with Saraswati.
Tradition counts Basant Panchami among the abujh, self-auspicious, days of the year, when weddings, griha pravesh and new beginnings are held without searching for a muhurat; many families still have one fixed for a wedding. In the years of the Kumbh and the Magh Mela at Prayagraj, it is one of the great bathing days.
Write Om, or Om Aim Saraswatyai Namah, on the first page of a new notebook and say the Saraswati Namastubhyam verse before you open it. It is a traditional way to begin a year's study with her blessing.
Offer marigolds or mustard flowers and a yellow sweet to Saraswati. Tradition ties yellow to her and to the spring, and the offering is made with gratitude for what you have learnt.
Give books, notebooks or pens to a child who needs them, or to a school. Of all the daan of the day, tradition holds the gift of learning, vidya daan, to be the highest.
Touch the feet of your teachers and elders, or call them, on this day. Saraswati is worshipped through those who pass knowledge on.
Musicians and dancers offer a short performance before Saraswati, often a raga of spring such as Basant or Bahar. Families keep it as an offering of the art itself.
Saraswati is the goddess of speech; tradition asks that the day be kept free of harsh or false words.
Two years back, this year, and two ahead. Past years are kept rather than dropped so you can check the engine against a calendar you already have.
| Year | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Wednesday, 14 February 2024 | past |
| 2025 | Sunday, 2 February 2025 | past |
| 2026This year | Friday, 23 January 2026 | past |
| 2027 | Thursday, 11 February 2027 | upcoming |
| 2028 | Monday, 31 January 2028 | upcoming |
Every row is computed for New Delhi from the same ephemeris, not looked up. Sunrise decides which day a tithi names, and sunrise differs across India by more than an hour, so a date computed for Delhi can be a day out elsewhere.
There is no single authority that settles a Hindu festival date, and the divergence is genuine rather than sloppy. Three causes account for almost all of it.
So this page shows its working. If your pandit or your family almanac gives a different day, the instants above will usually show you exactly why — and that is more useful than a date asserted without one.
In New Delhi, Basant Panchami is on Thursday, 11 February 2027. It is Magha Shukla Panchami, the fifth day of the bright half of Magha, and Panchami runs 3:05 AM to 3:18 AM (12 Feb). Because it follows the Moon, it falls on a different day of January or February each year.
Three honest reasons. The tithi can be running at the deciding moment on two days or on none. North India reckons the month purnimanta and the south and west amanta, which names the same krishna fortnight differently. And almanacs differ on which moment of the day decides an observance. The instants above are the astronomy; the day is an interpretation of them.
The muhurat is purvahna, from sunrise to the middle of the day while Panchami runs: in New Delhi it is 7:02 AM to 12:35 PM. Homes, schools and pandals worship in the morning. If you can only worship later, the midday Abhijit muhurat (12:13 PM to 12:57 PM) is the usual choice while Panchami lasts.
Bathe, wear yellow, and set up Saraswati on a yellow or white cloth with Ganesh beside her. Place books, pens and instruments at her feet, take a sankalp, worship Ganesh first, then offer Saraswati sandalwood, rice, yellow and white flowers and a yellow sweet. Recite her vandana and beej mantra, sing the aarti and share the prasad. The full vidhi above follows that order.
A Saraswati idol or picture, a chowki with a yellow or white cloth, yellow and white flowers, white sandalwood, roli, haldi and rice, a yellow chunari, a ghee lamp, incense, camphor, yellow sweets, ber and seasonal fruit, paan and supari, Ganga jal, and the books, pens and instruments to be worshipped. A slate and chalk if a child is to write the first letters.
Her beej mantra, Om Aim Saraswatyai Namah, 108 times; the vandana Ya Kundendu, which schools sing every morning; and Saraswati Namastubhyam before any new learning. In Bengal the family offers the pushpanjali that begins Jaya jaya devi three times, repeating after the priest. All three Sanskrit texts are in the mantra section with their meaning.
Yes, it is the same day. North India knows it as Basant or Vasant Panchami, the welcome of spring, with Saraswati's worship at its heart; Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Assam call it Saraswati Puja and celebrate it in homes, schools and pandals. Some traditions also call it Shri Panchami.
It celebrates Saraswati, goddess of learning and speech, whose appearance tradition places on this day, and it welcomes Vasant, spring, when the mustard is in yellow flower. Students, artists and musicians worship the tools of their work, children begin to learn, and in Braj the forty days of Holi begin.
Yellow is the colour of the season, when the mustard fields are in bloom, and the colour tradition gives to Saraswati's worship along with white. So yellow clothes are worn, yellow flowers offered and yellow sweets and saffron rice made. It is a custom, not a rule; wear white or another light colour if you have no yellow.
Tradition counts Basant Panchami among the abujh, self-auspicious, days, and many weddings, engagements and house-warmings are held on it without a separate muhurat. Families who prefer one fix it within the day's good windows, such as the Abhijit muhurat (12:13 PM to 12:57 PM) or a good choghadiya (Shubh: 7:02 AM to 8:25 AM; Chal: 11:12 AM to 12:35 PM; Labh: 12:35 PM to 1:58 PM; Amrit: 1:58 PM to 3:21 PM; Shubh: 4:45 PM to 6:08 PM).
By Bengali and Odia custom, books placed at Saraswati's feet stay there until the next morning and are not opened for study that day; the reading resumes after the next day's puja. Elsewhere many families do the opposite and have children read or write a little after the puja, to begin with her blessing. Follow your family's custom.
Saraswati is offered yellow and white sweets: boondi or besan laddoos, kesar rice, ber and seasonal fruit, and in Bengal khichuri. For meethe chawal, rice is boiled with a few strands of saffron or a pinch of turmeric, then cooked with ghee, sugar, cardamom and dry fruit until the grains are glossy and separate.
No scripture forbids a haircut on this day, but many families avoid cutting hair and nails, and keep the food sattvik and vegetarian, on the day of a puja. Bengal's Saraswati Puja meal is vegetarian khichuri. Follow your family's custom.
In Punjab, and in the old cities of north-west India, Basant has long been a kite festival: people dress in yellow, eat yellow rice and fly kites to welcome spring over the mustard fields. Fly with cotton thread only, never glass-coated or nylon manja, which injures birds and riders.
No remedy can replace study, and none comes with a guarantee. The upay in this guide, from beginning a notebook with her name to giving books to a child, are traditional acts of devotion and gratitude that help many students begin with a calm mind. Keep them, and keep studying.
