Annaprashan Muhurat 2026 – Auspicious Time for Feeding Rice

Celebrating a Baby’s First Solid Food: Annaprashan Muhurat 2026 and Traditions

Parents around the world celebrate many first-time milestones with their babies, and one of them is the Annaprashan ceremony. Annaprashan or annaprasana, a Sanskrit word for “food eating” or “food feeding,” marks the baby’s first solid food. In this ceremony, the baby is fed its first morsel of solid food, which is a ritual that prepares the baby for sustenance and a successful life on Earth. This tradition is celebrated in the Hindu way of life, and the entire family and all elders come together to witness and bless the baby for its future life.

Get Baby Names Recommendation Based on Astrology

When is Annaprashan Performed?

Annaprashan is performed anytime between six months to one year of the baby’s birth. It is usually done during the even months (the sixth or eighth month) for boys and during the odd months (the fifth or seventh month) for girls. This time frame is selected because the baby gains the strength to digest the cereals and rice. If the baby is found to be of weak disposition, the time can be postponed further.

Where can Annaprashan be Performed?

Annaprashan can be done at home or in a temple. Most people prefer to perform the ceremony at home. Nowadays, due to space constraints, a banquet hall or a community center is usually booked for the function. In Kerala, most people prefer to perform the ceremony at Guruvayoor, a Hindu temple.

Tonsure Ceremony: Mundan Muhurat, Auspicious Timings

Annaprashan Muhurat 2026

Performing an auspicious task like Annaprashan requires calculating an auspicious time, known as “muhurat,” which is critical to possessing optimal knowledge of time, date, planetary position, and nakshatras. The calculation of the muhurat can be performed using an Annaprasanam date calculator or by reaching out to Vedic astrologers who are good at reading the Vedic Panchang. Most people figure out the time to perform the ceremony based on the traditions of their clan.

How is Annaprashan Performed?

When performing Annaprashan in line with Vedic Astrology practices, a specific day and time are selected by consulting a priest for performing the Annaprashan ceremony. Family, friends, and relatives are invited for the big day. The scale of the ceremony differs from one family to another. Some prefer to have an intimate gathering, while others may have it at a temple. The baby is bathed and clothed in new traditional clothes such as dhoti, dhoti kurta, or lehenga choli. The baby is then seated on an elder’s lap, like the father, paternal grandfather, maternal uncle, or maternal grandfather (differs from place to place). The ceremony begins with a puja. Oil lamps and incense sticks are lit to purify the atmosphere. Prayers are offered to various deities to ensure the child grows into a strong and well-spoken individual, thus making sure that the baby is primed for success.

Get Baby Names Based on Numerology

The baby’s relatives also pray for its fame, broad vision, and long and happy life. The ceremony’s purpose is to pray to the gods to bless the child with good thoughts, promising talents, and good digestive powers. The first offering is made to the gods and goddesses. This is followed by the symbolic feeding of the prasad or the first bite of solid food by the elder on whose lap the baby is seated. The other elders follow suit by blessing and offering a taste of the food to the baby. After the ceremony, the people gathered to join in for some fun and games, following which they treat themselves to a large feast. A fun game usually follows the religious ceremony, where several symbolic objects are placed on a banana leaf or silver tray. The baby is then let loose to pick. The item that the child first touches or picks signifies his prospects, which are as under-

• books – learning
• jewels – wealth
• pen – wisdom
• clay – property
• food – love for food and feeding people

Family and friends have a fabulous time cheering the little one on as he/she makes a choice.

Auspicious Time for KarnaVedha

What is Served During the Annaprashan Ceremony?

While the major item served during the ceremony is kheer, fried vegetables, dals, curries, and flavored rice are also served. In Kerala, rice, curd, salt, jaggery, banana, and payasam are served to the baby on a banana leaf. Though this ceremony has been practiced since ancient times, certain precautions need to be taken while conducting this ceremony. Here are some ideas to help make this ceremony a special time that is also easy on the nerves.

• Make sure your baby is well-rested before the ceremony
• Limit the gathering to a few close family members and friends
• Choose comfortable clothing for your baby, preferably from natural fabrics
• Wash your hands thoroughly before feeding
• Make sure that the baby’s food is prepared fresh and hygienically
• Stick to a few essential items for the menu
• Rice is a safe first food. If kheer is a miss, keep boiled rice or rice with dal as an offering
• Make sure your baby does not eat more than two spoons of the offering to avoid an upset stomach
• A box of sweets or dried fruits makes great “thank you” gifts
• Do not forget to record the occasion. Memories matter

Find Meaningful Baby Names

Importance of Annaprashan

In every stage of life, food is considered the essence. No matter who we are or what we are, we are nothing without food. We need food to develop physically and mentally. Our scriptures mention that purification of the body and the inner mind takes place through a pure diet. Through the ceremony of Annaprashan, the Goddess of food, Annapoorna is worshipped, and the parents pray for the child’s good health and prosperity. The child becomes robust and powerful. It is believed that a baby’s teeth start coming out from the sixth or seventh month, which indicates that the digestive process is strong. After this, if the child is fed solids along with milk, both the body and mind will develop optimally, thus ensuring a healthy child.

Get Reliable and Accurate Education Horoscope

Auspicious Guidelines for Selecting Annaprashan Muhurat

Anna Prashana is the sacred ritual where a baby is introduced to solid food for the first time. While the ceremony is generally performed between six months to one year, the exact timing is traditionally chosen based on astrological considerations.

For boys, the Annaprashan ceremony is usually performed after the sixth, eighth, or tenth month from birth. For girls, it is commonly performed after the fifth, seventh, ninth, or eleventh month. This variation is followed as per regional customs and family traditions.

According to Vedic astrology, certain weekdays are considered more favourable for performing Annaprashan.

These include: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Nakshatras also play an important role in fixing the muhurat.

The following stars are traditionally considered auspicious for Anna Prashana:

• Fixed stars such as Rohini, Uthram, Uthradam, and Uthrattathi
• Moveable stars such as Punarvasu, Chothi, Thiruvonam, Avittam, and Chathayam
• Soft or friendly stars such as Makayiram, Chithira, Anizham, and Revathi
• Light stars such as Aswathi, Pooyam, and Atham

In addition to this, certain tithis are preferred for the ceremony.

These include: Dwitiya, Tritiya, Panchami, Saptami, Dashami, Trayodashi, and Pournami.

List of Annaprashan Muhurat 2026

Annaprashan Muhurat January 2026

Date	Day	Star
23-Jan-26	Friday	Uthrattathi (Uttara Bhadrapada)
25-Jan-26	Sunday	Revathi
28-Jan-26	Wednesday	Rohini

 

Annaprashan Muhurat February 2026

Date	Day	Star
01-Feb-26	Sunday	Pooyam (Pushya)
06-Feb-26	Friday	Atham (Hasta)
18-Feb-26	Wednesday	Chathayam (Shatabhisak)
20-Feb-26	Friday	Uthrattathi (Uttara Bhadrapada)
22-Feb-26	Sunday	Aswathi
26-Feb-26	Thursday	Makayiram (Mrigashirsha)

Annaprashan Muhurat March 2026

Date	Day	Star
01-Mar-26	Sunday	Pooyam  ( Pushya)
08-Mar-26	Sunday	Chothi (Swaati)
16-Mar-26	Monday	Avittom (Dhanishtha)
20-Mar-26	Friday	Revathi  (Revathi)
25-Mar-26	Wednesday	Pooyam  ( Pushya)

Annaprashan Muhurat April 2026

Date	Day	Star
02-Apr-26	Thursday	Atham (Hasta)
03-Apr-26	Friday	Chithira ( Chitraa)
06-Apr-26	Monday	Anizham (Anuradha)
12-Apr-26	Sunday	Thiruvonam (Shraavanaa)
15-Apr-26	Wednesday	Uthrattathi  (Uttara Bhadrapada)
20-Apr-26	Monday	Rohini
23-Apr-26	Thursday	Punartham
29-Apr-26	Wednesday	Atham (Hasta)

Annaprashan Muhurat May 2026

Date	Day	Star
01-May-26	Friday	Chothi (Swaati)
03-May-26	Sunday	Anizham ( Anuraadha)
11-May-26	Monday	Chathayam  (Shatabhisak)
18-May-26	Monday	Rohini
28-May-26	Thursday	Chothi
31-May-26	Sunday	Anizham  ( Anuraadha)

Annaprashan Muhurat June 2026

Date	Day	Star
05-Jun-26	Friday	Thiruvonam
10-Jun-26	Wednesday	Uthrattathi  (Uttara Bhadrapada)
17-Jun-26	Wednesday	Punartham (Punarvasu)
21-Jun-26	Sunday	Uthram
24-Jun-26	Wednesday	Chithira  ( Chitraa)

Annaprashan Muhurat July 2026

Date	Day	Star
01-Jul-26	Wednesday	Uthradam
05-Jul-26	Sunday	Chathayam (Shatabhisak)
09-Jul-26	Thursday	Aswathy
12-Jul-26	Sunday	Rohini
20-Jul-26	Monday	Atham
24-Jul-26	Friday	Anizham ( Anuraadha)
29-Jul-26	Wednesday	Uthradam
31-Jul-26	Friday	Avittom   (Dhanishtha)

Annaprashan Muhurat August 2026

Date	Day	Star
03-Aug-26	Monday	Uthrattathi  (Uttara Bhadrapada)
07-Aug-26	Friday	Rohini
19-Aug-26	Wednesday	Chothi (Swaati)
26-Aug-26	Wednesday	Thiruvonam

Annaprashan Muhurat September 2026

Date	Day	Star
13-Sep-26	Sunday	Atham (Hasta)
14-Sep-26	Monday	Chithira (Chitraa)
21-Sep-26	Monday	Uthradam
24-Sep-26	Thursday	Avittom (Dhanishtha)
28-Sep-26	Monday	Revathi (Revathi)

Annaprashan Muhurat October 2026

Date	Day	Star
01-Oct-26	Thursday	Rohini
05-Oct-26	Monday	Pooyam  ( Pushya)
28-Oct-26	Wednesday	Rohini  ( Rohini)
30-Oct-26	Friday	Makeeram

Annaprashan Muhurat November 2026

Date	Day	Star
01-Nov-26	Sunday	Pooyam (Pushya)
25-Nov-26	Wednesday	Rohini
26-Nov-26	Thursday	Makeeram (Mrigashirsha)

Annaprashan Muhurat December 2026

Date	Day	Star
03-Dec-26	Thursday	Uthram
14-Dec-26	Monday	Avittom (Dhanishtha)
25-Dec-26	Friday	Punartham
30-Dec-26	Wednesday	Uthram

Get Free Horoscope and Understand What the Future Holds for You

Important Note on Fixing the Right Muhurat

While the above dates are generally auspicious, it is always advised to consider individual factors before finalising the Annaprashan Muhurat. Elements such as the baby’s birth rashi, birth nakshatra, and family traditions should be taken into account. Solar or lunar eclipses, Sankranti days, and twilight periods are usually avoided. Consulting a knowledgeable astrologer helps ensure that the chosen muhurat aligns well with the child’s horoscope and brings lasting blessings.