Itu Puja 2026 in Bengal

Itu Puja or Itu Vrata is traditionally performed by married women for the enhancement of family health and welfare and by unmarried girls in the anticipation of getting a good husband. In 2026, Itu Puja dates are: November 18, November 22, November 29, December 6 and December 13.

Itu Puja begins at the end of Kartik Month and continues throughout the Sundays in Agrahayan Maas. The Itu Puja is observed at morning every Sunday throughout the Agrahayan Month (late November through early December).

The Itu vrata involves the planting of seeds and grains and the subsequent germination of sprouts which symbolically fulfill the women’s need of having a healthy child and prosperous household. Also the ritual being associated with Sun God is also believed to cure blindness.

Itu Puja 2026

Itu Puja – 18 November 2026 (Mitra) – 1 Agrahayan 1433

Itu Puja – 22 November 2026 (Sri Sri Mitra) – 5 Agrahayan 1433

Itu Puja – 29 November 2026 (Mitra) – 12 Agrahayan 1433

Itu Puja – 6 December 2026 (Mitra) – 19 Agrahayan 1433

Itu Puja – 13 December 2026 (Sri Sri Mitra) – 26 Agrahayan 1433

During Itu Puja, the person doing the puja mixes soil with a bit of cow dung as fertilizer in a small earthern pot . The pot is beautifully decorated with red and white paint.

Then a prescribed number of seeds and grains are placed in the pot. This process is called ravisasya meaning the planting of the Sun’s crop. Then , every sunday, they pour water into the pot.

During the puja, people offer many varieties of food made of milk, flour and fruits. These offerings are called Itur sadh which symbolically represent the cravings of a pregnant woman. Later the food is distributed as prasad only among women. Later the Itu Vrata Katha is recited to highlight the benefits of doing the puja and praising the Sun God.

Significance and Timing

• It marks a celebration of fertility, crop growth, and gratitude toward nature’s bounty, especially focusing on the preservation and blessing of seeds for winter crops.​

• The puja starts on the last day of the Bengali month Kartik (around mid-November) and is observed every Sunday of the following month Agrahayan.​

• Women, particularly married women, traditionally perform the puja, which involves rituals centered around a clay pot symbolizing fertility, placed with grains, herbs, and water to represent the natural elements crucial for agriculture.​

Rituals and Practices

• The ritual includes drawing decorative designs on the pot, placing various seeds, grains, and herbs on a bed of hay, and reciting protective chants and stories associated with Itu Puja.​

• It is often performed without the involvement of a Brahmin priest, carried out by womenfolk at home.​

• The worship involves offering prayers for the prosperity of family members, especially fathers and brothers, symbolizing a general wish for family well-being and abundance.​

Cultural Context

• Itu Puja is seen as a community and family-oriented festival linking nature worship, ancestral traditions, and agrarian hopes. It is a reminder of humanity’s dependence on the sun and earth for survival and prosperity.​

• The puja and associated fasting or vrat (vow) are believed to bring blessings of fertility, good harvest, wealth, and peace to the household.​

In short, Itu Puja is a profound expression of rural Bengal’s spiritual and agrarian culture, harmonizing reverence for the sun and earth with familial and communal aspirations.