What is Katyayani Vrata?
The young unmarried gopis of Vraja once kept a vow for a whole month, worshipping goddess Katyayani. That vow is Katyayani Vrata, and in 2026 the Vaishnava calendar marks its beginning on Wednesday, 25 November.
Significance
The story is told in chapter 22 of the Tenth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
During the first month of the winter season, the young unmarried girls of Gokula observed the vow of worshiping goddess Kātyāyanī.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.22.1
In his book Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srila Prabhupada writes that through this month of Margasirsha the gopis ate mung dal and rice boiled together without spices or turmeric. By Vedic rule this food, called haviṣyānna, purifies the body before a ritual. They kept the vow with a single aim: to attain Lord Krishna.
How to observe it
Devotees remember the vow by hearing chapter 22 of the Tenth Canto, which describes the gopis' bath in the Yamuna and Krishna's reply to them. During the month you may follow the gopis' simple diet of unspiced khichri. Rise early, offer your prayers and chant the holy names.
Questions
When does Katyayani Vrata begin in 2026?
Katyayani Vrata begins on Wednesday, 25 November 2026, according to the Vaishnava calendar. The gopis kept the vow throughout the month of Margasirsha.
What did the gopis eat during Katyayani Vrata?
The gopis ate only unspiced khichri. Srila Prabhupada describes it as mung dal and rice boiled together without spices or turmeric, a simple food that purifies the body before a ritual.
Why did the gopis worship Katyayani?
They worshipped goddess Katyayani to attain Lord Krishna. The Bhagavatam says they prayed that the son of Nanda Maharaja might become their husband.
Reviewed by ISKCON Kurukshetra · Updated
Key facts
- Date
- Wednesday, 25 November 2026
- Told in
- Srimad-Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto, chapter 22
- Kept in the month of
- Margasirsha
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