Vasantotsav (Vasant Panchami — Pushti Marg Spring Opening)

Shri Shrinathji as Vasant-Vihari (the spring-Krishna)

Pushti Marg

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Vasantotsav — Vasant Panchami (Magh Shukla Panchami), the Pushti Marg opening of the 40-day spring seva-rasa at the Shrinathji haveli. The haveli moves from winter Damodar-rasa to spring Vasant-rasa, the shringar turns to yellow vastra and marigold flowers, the bhog turns to kesari and yellow, and the Ashtachhap Vasanta-rasa padas are sung daily. The 40-day season culminates in Holi (Phalgun Purnima) at the haveli.

Dates 2026–2027

January 23, 2026February 11, 2027

Mantra

श्री वसन्त-विहारिणे नमः

Shri Vasanta-Vihaarine Namah

Salutations to the One who sports in spring — Shrinathji's Vasant Panchami svarup, dressed in yellow with kesari bhog and kesari abhisheka.

How to recite

Apply yellow vastra and yellow flowers (especially marigold and basant kesar) to the home altar Shrinathji-svarup. Offer kesari bhog (kesar bhaat, kesar shrikhand, kesar kheer) and yellow naivedya. Sing the Vasanta-rasa padas of the Ashtachhap kavis — especially Surdas's 'Aaj basanta hai' and Govindswami's 'Phaag rachaye Govinda'. Visit Nathdwara if possible — the Vasantotsav haveli darshan is in full yellow shringar.

Benefits

Vasant Panchami opens the 40-day Pushti Marg spring season — from this day through Phalgun Purnima (Holi), the Shrinathji haveli is in Vasant-shringar, the bhog turns to kesari and yellow, and the Ashtachhap padas of the Vasanta-rasa and Phag-rasa are sung daily. The 40-day spring season culminates in the Phoolon wali Holi at the haveli (covered separately) and the Holi Dahan + Dol Utsav (covered below).

✦ Special Note

Vasant Panchami is also Saraswati Puja day across Bharat. Pushti Marg observance specifically combines the Vasantotsav (spring-opening) with the Saraswati-arpan (offering of vidya) at Shrinathji's feet — vidya is held to flow from Krishna himself. Dates per the Utsav Tippani published by Nathdwara Mandir Seva Mandal on pushtimarg.net (pushtimarg.net/new-updates/utsav-tippani/).

Foods Allowed

Vasantotsav bhog — kesari bhaat (saffron rice), kesari shrikhand, kesari pedaYellow-coloured naivedya — besan ladoo, mohanthal, kesar-mishri kheerSakhdi with morad and bhopla bharitPohe with shengdana, coconut and turmericNaralachi vadi (yellow-tinted) and ghevarFresh late-winter fruits — orange, sitafal, ber, custard appleTulsi-charanamrita with kesar (saffron)Milk, mishri, ghee with kesar for the abhishekaSendha namak for fasting members

Foods to Avoid

Onion, garlic — neverBrinjal — restrictedMeat, fish, eggs, alcoholFood not first offered to Shrinathji

Meal Idea

Kesari bhaat and kesari shrikhand for the morning naivedya; sakhdi with morad and shrikhand-puri for the family bhojan; kesar-mishri kheer with mohanthal for the evening Vasantotsav-aarti.

🪔 Aarti

Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki

आरती कुंज बिहारी की, श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की ॥ गले में बैजंती माला, बजावे मुरली मधुर बाला । श्रवण में कुण्डल झलकाला, नंद के आनंद नंदलाला ॥ गगन सम अंग कांति काली, राधिका चमक रही आली । लतन में ठाढ़े बनमाली, भ्रमर सी अलक, कस्तूरी तिलक, चंद्र सी झलक, ललित छवि श्यामा प्यारी की ॥ कनकमय मोर मुकुट बिलसे, देवता दरसन को तरसे । गगन सों सुमन राशि बरसे, बाजे मुरचंग, मधुर मृदंग, ग्वालिन संग, अतुल रति गोप कुमारी की ॥ जहां ते प्रगट भई गंगा, कलुष कली हारिणि श्री गंगा । स्मरण ते होत मोह भंगा, बसी शिव सीस, जटा के बीच, हरे अघ कीच, चरण छवि श्री बनवारी की ॥ चमकती उज्ज्वल तट रेणु, बज रही वृंदावन बेणु । चहुं दिसि गोपी ग्वाल धेनु, हंसत मृदु मंद, चांदनी चंद, कटत भव फंद, टेर सुन दीन भिखारी की ॥

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