🌕 Magha Purnima (Maghi Purnima) Puja Vidhi — step by step
This is the household vidhi — a dawn bath (the end of the Magh bath), charity, the Purnima fast, moon arghya in the evening.
How to do Magha Purnima (Maghi Purnima) — the steps
- Bathe in Brahma Muhurat (time above) in a river/pond or at home with Gangajal and sesame in the water — the last day of the Magh bath; arghya to the Sun, 'Om Namo Narayanaya'.
- The concluding sankalp of the Magh bath — 'The bath-vow from Paush Purnima to today is complete; its fruit to the family's welfare and the ancestors' — release water from the hand.
- The Purnima fast: fruit/one meal in the day; worship of Vishnu-Lakshmi — yellow flowers, Tulsi, panchamrit; the Satyanarayan katha (the katha of Maghi Purnima is considered special).
- Charity (sunrise to noon): black sesame, jaggery, grain (sidha), blankets/woollens, ghee, oil, shoes — to a Brahmin/the needy/a gaushala; tarpan and panch-bali (cow, crow, dog) in the ancestors' name.
- Ravidas Jayanti (where customary): a picture of Sant Ravidas, a lamp, his verses — 'Prabhu ji tum chandan hum pani'; langar/food charity.
- At moonrise (time above) arghya of milk and water to the moon; bhog of kheer; break the fast.
- Lamps at the Tulsi platform and the door in the evening; Vishnu/Shiva bhajans at night; Phalguna begins the next day — preparations for Holi (before Holashtak begins).
Puja samagri checklist
Simple samagri for bath and charity — sesame and blankets are the mark of this Purnima.
- Gangajal, black sesame, copper lota
- Picture of Vishnu-Lakshmi, yellow flowers, Tulsi, panchamrit, roli, akshat
- Charity: sesame, jaggery, grain-sidha, blankets/woollens, ghee, oil, dakshina
- Satyanarayan katha: panjiri, banana, panchamrit, banana leaves, betel nut
- Milk and water for the moon arghya, kheer
- Lamp, incense, camphor, aarti thali
- Kusha (if available), sesame and akshat for tarpan
- Ravidas picture/verse book (where customary)
The food of Maghi Purnima — sesame, kheer, khichdi
The last cold of Magha — dishes of sesame, jaggery and ghee; kheer for the bhog; today the kalpavasis are free of the one-meal rule and eat their fill.
- Kheer (moon bhog), sesame laddoos, sesame-jaggery patti, carrot halwa
- Khichdi + ghee + curd (the last meal of the Magh bath), poori-aloo
- Satyanarayan prasad: panjiri, panchamrit, banana
- Ravidas Jayanti langar: dal-roti-kheer (Punjab-UP)
- Fast: fruit and milk, sabudana; paran after the arghya
Rules — do's and don'ts
✅ Do
- A dawn bath — the concluding sankalp of the Magh bath without fail
- Charity of sesame, jaggery, grain and blankets; tarpan for the ancestors
- The Purnima fast, the Satyanarayan katha, arghya at moonrise
- The verses/langar of Ravidas — the message of equality
- Serving kalpavasis/bathers (food, blankets) — special merit on this day
❌ Don't
- Elders and the unwell should not bathe in the river in the cold — Gangajal at home
- Meat, alcohol, quarrels, cutting hair and nails — avoided on Purnima
- Never leave children or elders alone in the fair crowd
- Charity grain never spoilt — give what you would eat
- No Tulsi leaves in the evening
Vrat katha
The story of the Padma Purana — the wife of the Brahmin Dhaneshwar of Kantika city had no child; on a message received in alms, the Brahmin had his wife keep the vow of bathing at dawn in Magha and offering arghya to the… Read the full katha →
Frequently asked questions
When is Magha Purnima in {Y}?
The date at the top is this year's Magha Purnima — from panchang calculations; the Delhi times for Brahma Muhurat (bath) and moonrise are shown too.
What if the Magh bath could not be completed?
According to the Padma Purana a single bath on Magha Purnima equals the whole of Magha — bathe at dawn today, give charity and offer the moon arghya; or on the three tithis of Magha (Paush Purnima, Mauni Amavasya, Magha Purnima).
What to donate on this day?
Black sesame, jaggery, grain-sidha, blankets/woollens, ghee, oil, shoes-umbrella — blankets and clothes are most useful at the end of winter; fodder to a gaushala.
Why are Ravidas Jayanti and Magha Purnima on the same day?
Sant Ravidas is held to have been born on Magha Purnima — so the Jayanti falls on this tithi every year; a public holiday and processions in Punjab-UP.
What comes after Maghi Purnima?
Phalguna begins the next day — Maha Shivratri fifteen days later, then Holashtak (eight days before Holi) and Holika Dahan on Phalguna Purnima.
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