Bachh Baras (Gujarat) 2027

Puja Vidhi

Who Should Do This Vrat?

• Mothers: Mothers observe this vrat for the health, long life, and prosperity of their children, especially their sons.
• Women Desiring Children: Women who wish for children also worship the cow and calf on this day to seek blessings for offspring (Santan Prapti).
• Cow Lovers and Devotees: Anyone who honours the cow as a sacred mother (Gau Mata) may join the worship.

When Should This Be Performed?

• Morning Preparation: The bath and the Sankalp are done in the morning, and the food for the day is prepared with the restrictions followed in the family.
• Cow and Calf Puja: The puja is done in the evening during Pradosh Kaal (the period after sunset), at the time the cows return home. Check the puja muhurat for your city on this page.
• Breaking the Fast: After the puja is done and the prasad is offered.

About the Festival

Bachh Baras is a deeply revered observance, especially in Gujarat and North India, in which mothers worship the cow and her calf for the wellbeing of their children. It takes place on the Dwadashi (twelfth day) of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Shravana.

The Vrat Katha (Story of the Cow and Calf)

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a family with a daughter-in-law who had a gentle heart. In the house were a cow and her calf, named Gehunla, whom she loved and cared for like her own child.

One day, the mother-in-law said she was going to a nearby place and asked the daughter-in-law to cook the wheat (gehun). The daughter-in-law mistook the word for the calf's name, Gehunla, and, unaware of her mistake, cooked the calf.

When the mother-in-law returned and learned of what had happened, the family was full of grief. The daughter-in-law wept in sorrow and prayed for forgiveness. An elder advised her: "Pray to the cow and calf with a pure heart. Observe the fast of Bachh Baras with faith, and the Divine Mother will show you mercy."

She followed the advice wholeheartedly and prayed through the day. Pleased with her sincere repentance, the Divine Mother blessed her, and the calf was found alive, safe and healthy. Since that day, mothers have observed Bachh Baras to seek the blessings of the cow and calf for their children.

Samagri List (Items Needed)

Gather these items before starting the evening puja:

• Cow & Calf: A cow with her calf, or clay or picture images of the cow and calf if they are not available
• Tilak & Sacred Powder: Roli, Kumkum, Haldi, and Akshat (unbroken rice grains)
• Lamps & Lights: A brass or clay Diya with Ghee and cotton wick
• Food Offerings (Naivedya): Bajra roti, sprouted moong or moth, and besan dishes, as followed by your family
• Fodder for the Cow: Green grass (Hara Chara), jaggery, and moong
• Devotional Accessories: Flowers, sacred thread (kalava), and a Kalash with fresh water

Puja Vidhi (Step-by-Step Guide)

Follow these step-by-step instructions carefully to perform the ritual correctly:

Step 1: Morning Preparation and Sankalp

1. Wake up early during Brahma Muhurta, bathe, and wear clean, auspicious clothes.
2. Take a small amount of water in your right palm and take a Sankalp (solemn vow): "O Divine Mother Cow, today I observe Bachh Baras for the health, long life, and wellbeing of my children. Bless us with your grace."
3. Observe the fast through the day. Many families avoid wheat, cow's milk and curd, and food cut with a knife (practice varies by family).

Step 2: Preparing for the Puja (Late Afternoon)

1. Clean the place where the cow and calf will be worshipped, or the space where their images will be placed.
2. Prepare the day's food, such as bajra roti and sprouted pulses, without using the restricted items.
3. Wash the feet of the cow and calf with clean water, if they are available.

Step 3: Performing the Evening Rituals

1. Lighting the Lamp: Light a Ghee Diya and place it near the cow and calf.
2. Applying Tilak: Apply Roli, Haldi, Kumkum, and Akshat on their foreheads.
3. Offering Flowers & Threads: Offer fresh flowers and tie a piece of Kalava around the horns or a nearby pot.
4. Offering Naivedya: Feed the cow and calf with green grass, jaggery, and moong.

Step 4: Reciting the Vrat Katha

1. Hold a few grains of wheat or rice and a few flower petals in your right hand.
2. Sit respectfully near the cow and calf and recite or listen to the Bachh Baras Vrat Katha with deep focus and devotion.
3. After completing the story, sprinkle the grains near the feet of the cow and calf.

Step 5: Aarti and Circumambulation

1. Perform the Gau Mata Aarti using the lit Ghee lamp while singing devotional hymns.
2. Walk around the cow and calf (Parikrama) with folded hands, praying for the long life and happiness of your children.
3. Bow with respect and ask for their blessings.

Step 6: Seeking Blessings and Breaking the Fast

1. Touch the feet of the elders in your family to seek their blessings (Charan Sparsh).
2. Distribute the prasad among your family members and children.
3. Break your fast by partaking in the prasad and a simple sattvic meal prepared without the restricted items.