Quick answer
- Jitiya Vrat 2026
- Saturday, 3 October 2026
- Tithi
- Ashwin Krishna AshtamiBhadrapada Krishna Ashtami (amanta)
- Fast
- Nirjala (no food or water)
- Observed for
- Children's long life and well-being
- Nahay-Khay
- Fri, 2 Oct
- Paran
- Sun, 4 Oct · After sunrise (05:43 AM)
- Banaras panchang (Ashtami at sunrise)
- Sunday, 4 October 2026
What is it? A nirjala vrat kept by mothers for the long life and well-being of their children, observed mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal.
Why is it observed? It honours Jimutavahana, the prince who offered his own life to save a young Naga from Garuda; mothers pray that their children are protected in the same way.
How is it observed? Nahay-Khay on the day before, a full fast on Ashtami with an evening puja of Jimutavahana and the vrat katha, and paran after sunrise the next day.
Jitiya Vrat 2026 date & muhurat
| Ashtami tithi begins | Sat, 3 Oct, 08:00 AM |
|---|---|
| Ashtami tithi ends | Sun, 4 Oct, 05:52 AM |
| Sunrise | 05:42 AM |
| Sunset | 05:34 PM |
| Brahma Muhurat | 04:05 AM – 04:54 AM |
| Pradosh Kaal | 05:34 PM – 08:00 PM |
| Rahu Kalam (avoid) | 08:40 AM – 10:09 AM |
| Paran (breaking the fast) | Sun, 4 Oct, after 05:43 AM |
Day by day
- Fri, 2 Oct
Nahay-Khay
A ritual bath, a clean house and one simple meal. In parts of Mithila the meal traditionally includes marua (finger millet) and fish; many other families eat a vegetarian meal without onion or garlic.
- Sat, 3 Oct
Nirjala vrat & puja · Pradosh 05:34 PM – 08:00 PM
The fast — without food or water — begins before sunrise. Jimutavahana is worshipped in the evening and the vrat katha is heard.
- Sun, 4 Oct
Paran · After sunrise (05:43 AM)
After bathing and a short puja, the fast is broken after sunrise on Navami.
Why is Jitiya Vrat observed?
Religious
Jimutavahana is remembered as the embodiment of compassion and self-sacrifice. Worshipping him on Jitiya is a prayer that the same protecting grace surrounds one’s children.
For the family
Jitiya is one of the most important vrats for mothers in Mithila, Bhojpur and Magadh. It is usually learnt from a mother-in-law or mother, and kept every year once begun.
Spiritual
A day without food or water is a form of tapasya — discipline offered with a single intention. The day is spent in prayer, song and the katha rather than routine work.
Cultural
Women often gather at a pond or courtyard for the evening puja, sing Jitiya songs and hear the katha together. Many mothers wear a “jitiya”, a thread or small pendant blessed during the puja.
The story of Jimutavahana
Characters: Jimutavahana, a Gandharva prince, Shankhachuda, a young Naga, Shankhachuda’s mother, Garuda
Jimutavahana was a Gandharva prince known for his generosity. He handed his kingdom to others and went to live in the forest, caring for his father and spending his days in service.
One day he heard an old woman weeping. She was the mother of Shankhachuda, a young Naga. Garuda had agreed to stop destroying the Nagas only if one of them was offered to him each day — and today it was her son’s turn.
Jimutavahana could not bear her grief. He told her to take her son home and went to the rock of sacrifice himself, wrapped in the red cloth meant for the victim.
Garuda seized him and began to feed, but was puzzled: this victim felt no fear and even seemed content. When Garuda paused and asked who he was, Jimutavahana told him the truth.
Garuda was ashamed and deeply moved. He released Jimutavahana, healed his wounds and promised never again to take the Nagas. Mothers keep the Jitiya vrat in Jimutavahana’s name, praying that their children are protected as Shankhachuda was.
Many families also tell the story of a kite and a jackal who kept the vrat together. The kite kept it faithfully; the jackal secretly ate during the night. In their next lives the kite’s children lived long, while the jackal’s did not — a reminder to keep the vrat sincerely.
Message: Compassion that puts another’s life before one’s own is the greatest protection — the ideal a mother holds up for her children.
Jitiya Vrat puja vidhi
Before the puja
- 1On Saptami (Nahay-Khay), bathe, clean the house and eat one simple meal.
- 2On Ashtami, wake before sunrise. In some families a light meal is taken before dawn, before the fast begins.
- 3Take the sankalp for the vrat, naming your children.
- 4Clean the puja place — traditionally a plastered (lipa) floor or the side of a pond.
During the puja
- 1Make a small figure of Jimutavahana from kusha grass. Many families also shape a kite and a jackal from clay or cow dung.
- 2Place the figures on a plate or beside a small pit of water, as your family does.
- 3Offer water, roli, akshat, flowers, fruits and sweets; light a ghee lamp and incense.
- 4Worship Jimutavahana and pray for your children by name.
- 5Listen to or read the Jitiya vrat katha.
- 6Tie the jitiya thread or pendant after the puja.
After the puja
- 1On Navami, bathe and offer prayers after sunrise.
- 2Break the fast (paran) — in many Bihar families with marua roti and noni saag, rice and dal — or as your family does.
- 3Give food or dakshina to someone in need.
Jitiya Vrat puja samagri
Essential
| Item | Quantity | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Kusha grass | A small bundle | To make the figure of Jimutavahana |
| Roli, turmeric and akshat (unbroken rice) | A little of each | Tilak and offerings |
| Flowers and a garland | 1 garland, loose flowers | Offering |
| Seasonal fruits | 5 kinds | Naivedya |
| Ghee lamp, cotton wicks and incense | 1 lamp | Aarti |
| Kalash or lota of water | 1 | Sankalp and offerings |
| Jitiya thread or pendant | 1 | Worn by the mother after the puja |
Optional
| Item | Quantity | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Clay or cow dung | — | Figures of the kite and the jackal, for families that tell that story |
| Sweets | — | Prasad |
Traditional / regional
| Item | Quantity | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Marua (finger millet) flour | — | Nahay-Khay and paran meals in Mithila |
| Noni saag | — | Paran meal in many Bihar families |
Jitiya Vrat vrat rules
Before the vrat
- Eat one simple meal on the Nahay-Khay day.
- Avoid onion, garlic and non-vegetarian food unless your family tradition differs.
- Gather the samagri a day in advance.
During the vrat
- Traditionally no food and no water from the start of the fast until paran.
- Spend the day in prayer, bhajans and the katha.
- Avoid sleeping through the day, arguments and harsh words.
Breaking the vrat
- Break the fast after sunrise on Navami, after bathing and a short puja.
- Start with water, then a light meal.
- Share prasad and food with others, as your family does.
If a full nirjala fast is not safe for you, many families accept a fast with water or fruit (phalahar). Ask your elders or pandit — the intention matters more than the severity.
Do's and don'ts
✅ Do
- Wake before sunrise and take the sankalp.
- Keep the mind on prayer and your children’s well-being.
- Wear clean, preferably new or washed traditional clothes.
- Hear the complete katha.
- Break the fast only after sunrise on Navami.
❌ Avoid
- Eat or drink during the nirjala fast (unless advised otherwise for health).
- Quarrel or use harsh words.
- Sleep through the day.
- Break the fast before sunrise on Navami.
Jitiya Vrat mantras
Jimutavahana namaskara
ॐ जीमूतवाहनाय नमः
తెలుగు లిపిలో
ఓం జీమూతవాహనాయ నమః
oṃ jīmūtavāhanāya namaḥ
Meaning: Salutations to Jimutavahana.
Jitiya Vrat across India
Mithila (North Bihar)
Nahay-Khay often includes marua and fish; the paran meal includes marua roti and noni saag. Maithili Jitiya songs are sung in the evening.
Bhojpur and eastern Uttar Pradesh
Known as Jiutiya. Women gather at ponds and temples for the evening puja and hear the katha together.
Jharkhand
Kept by mothers across the state, with the katha told in homes and community gatherings.
Nepal
Observed in the Mithila and Tharu communities of the Terai with the same three-day pattern.
Perform Jitiya Vrat puja with Rutviju
Online pujas are performed at the temple in your name — you receive photos and video from the pandit. Offline pujas are performed at your home by a verified pandit.
Sources & method
- Nagananda, the Sanskrit play by King Harsha (7th century), which tells the story of Jimutavahana and the Naga Shankhachuda.
- Kathasaritsagara of Somadeva (11th century), which retells the same story.
- Regional vrat katha traditions of Mithila and Bhojpur for the vrat’s observance and the story of the kite and the jackal.
Dates and muhurtams on this page are calculated for Patna from the positions of the Sun and Moon (Lahiri ayanamsa, IST). Printed panchangams can differ by a minute or two, and a few festivals are kept on different days in different traditions — follow your family's panchangam and pandit where they differ.
Frequently asked questions
When is Jitiya Vrat 2026?
Jitiya Vrat 2026 is on Saturday, 3 October 2026. Ashwin Krishna Ashtami (Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami in the amanta calendar) runs from Sat, 3 Oct, 08:00 AM to Sun, 4 Oct, 05:52 AM, IST, as calculated for Patna.
When is the Jitiya Vrat paran?
Break the fast on Sunday, 4 October 2026, after sunrise at 05:43 AM in Patna, following your family's tradition.
Is the Jitiya Vrat date the same in every city?
Usually, but not always. Sunrise, sunset and moonrise differ from city to city, and the festival is kept on the day its tithi prevails at the right time of day, so the muhurtams — and occasionally the date — can change. Choose your city above to see local timings.
Is Jitiya the same as Jivitputrika Vrat?
Yes. Jivitputrika (“for a living son”, now understood as for all children) is the Sanskrit name; Jitiya and Jiutiya are the popular names.
Can the vrat be kept without the nirjala fast?
Tradition asks for a nirjala fast, but many families accept a fast with water or fruit for those who cannot go without — especially for health reasons. Ask your elders or pandit.
Why do some calendars give a different Jitiya date?
Two traditions are followed. The Mithila panchang keeps the vrat on the day Ashtami prevails in the evening (Pradosh), when Jimutavahana is worshipped; the Banaras panchang keeps it on the day Ashtami prevails at sunrise. Most years they agree; when they don’t, this page shows both dates for your city — follow your family’s panchang.
Can I book a pandit for Jitiya?
Yes. A Rutviju pandit can guide the puja and katha at home, and you can have a puja performed in your children’s name at a temple.