Valmiki Jayanti 2027वाल्मीकि जयन्ती

When is Valmiki Jayanti?

Observed on Ashwin Purnima. Dates follow the Panchang for New Delhi and can differ by a day in other places — check the Panchang for your city.

What Valmiki Jayanti means

Valmiki Jayanti honours Maharishi Valmiki, the Adi Kavi — first poet — whose Sanskrit Ramayana is the source of the Rama story across Asia. It falls on Ashwin Purnima, the same full moon as Sharad Purnima.

For the Valmiki community, who revere him as their guru, the day is Pargat Divas, celebrated with great processions. For all, it is a reminder that the first poem of Indian literature was born of compassion for a grieving bird.

The story of Valmiki Jayanti

A popular tradition, found in later retellings, tells that Valmiki was once a robber named Ratnakara who supported his family by plunder. When the sage Narada asked whether his family would share his sins, and they refused, he was shaken and asked how he could be saved. Unable at first even to say "Rama", he repeated "mara, mara" until it became "Rama, Rama", and meditated so long that an anthill (valmika) grew over him — hence his name.

In the Ramayana itself, Valmiki sees a hunter kill one of a pair of krauncha birds; moved by the mate's cry, he spontaneously curses the hunter in a perfectly measured verse, the first shloka. Brahma then inspires him to tell the story of Rama in that metre. When Sita was exiled, she found shelter in Valmiki's ashram, where her sons Lava and Kusha were born and learned the Ramayana from him.

Valmiki Jayanti puja vidhi, step by step

Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated with processions, readings of the Ramayana and community service.

What you need

• An image of Maharishi Valmiki
• A copy of the Ramayana
• Flowers, a lamp and prasad

When to do the puja

In 2026 Valmiki Jayanti falls on Monday, 26 October; in 2027, on Friday, 15 October (Ashwin Purnima). Check the Panchang for your city. See the Panchang for your city.

Steps

1. Worship. Garland the image of Valmiki, light a lamp and offer flowers.
2. Read the Ramayana. Read a chapter, or the story of the krauncha birds from the Bala Kanda.
3. Procession and service. Join a shobha yatra, a langar or a community clean-up.

Offerings & food: Flowers, fruits and sweets; community meals

Mantras for Valmiki Jayanti

Valmiki Jayanti across India

Celebrated widely in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, especially by the Valmiki community; major celebrations at the Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath (Ram Tirath) near Amritsar; a holiday in several states

Punjab

Large processions in Amritsar and other cities; celebrations at Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath (Ram Tirath), revered as the site of his ashram.

Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh

Shobha yatras, satsangs and community meals.

Uttar Pradesh

Ramayana readings; Bithoor near Kanpur is also linked by tradition with his ashram.

Prayers to recite

Do’s and don’ts

Frequently asked questions