Pradosh Vrat: vidhi, katha and rules
Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati · Trayodashi tithi of each paksha, in the evening pradosh kaal
Pradosh Vrat is devoted to Lord Shiva and falls on Trayodashi, the 13th tithi, in both pakshas. The puja is done in the evening around sunset, in the pradosh kaal. A Pradosh on Monday (Som Pradosh) or Saturday (Shani Pradosh) is seen as special.
🗓 Coming dates (Delhi)
- Sunday, 22 November 2026
- Sunday, 6 December 2026
- Monday, 21 December 2026
- Tuesday, 5 January 2027
- Wednesday, 20 January 2027
- Wednesday, 3 February 2027
- Thursday, 18 February 2027
- Friday, 5 March 2027
Next Shukla paksha begins around Tuesday, 10 November
How it is kept (vidhi)
- Bathe in the morning, take the sankalp before Shiva and fast through the day.
- Before sunset, bathe again or freshen up and wear clean clothes.
- In pradosh kaal, offer water, milk, curd, honey and bel leaves to the Shivling.
- Light a diya, chant Om Namah Shivaya and listen to the Pradosh katha.
- Do the aarti, share the prasad, then have fruit or a simple meal.
Common practices
- Many people take only fruit through the day and eat after the puja.
- The best time for the puja is pradosh kaal, roughly an hour and a half around sunset.
- Many people avoid grains and salt that day.
The katha
Chandra dev, the Moon, was married to the twenty-seven daughters of Daksha Prajapati. Of them all, he loved Rohini the most and spent most of his time with her. The other sisters felt left out and spoke to their father. Daksha asked Chandra to treat all his wives equally, but Chandra did not change.
After this, Chandra began to fall ill. His glow faded day by day, and he grew weaker. The gods were worried, and Narad muni advised him to pray to Lord Shiva.
Chandra worshipped Shiva with deep faith. On Trayodashi, in the quiet hour of evening twilight, Shiva was pleased and gave him new life. Shiva placed the crescent moon on his own head, and so he is called Chandrashekhar. Chandra's light returned, and the moon's waxing and waning is still seen as a sign of that grace.
Because Shiva's grace came at this evening hour, the pradosh kaal of Trayodashi is seen as a special time to worship him.
Retold in our own words from the traditional story.
Udyapan
After 11 or 26 Pradosh vrats, many families do the udyapan. A Shiva-Parvati puja, a havan, and food and daan for a Brahmin or someone in need are common. Many people choose a Som or Shani Pradosh for it.
Questions
- How many Pradosh vrats are kept?
- Many people take a sankalp of 11 or 26 Pradosh vrats and then do the udyapan. Some keep it regularly. Family customs differ.
- When is pradosh kaal?
- Usually from about 45 minutes before sunset to about 45 minutes after. Check your city's panchang for the exact time.
- What if I skip a Pradosh?
- Many families simply continue with the next Pradosh. Your earlier count stays. You can decide what feels right.
This information is awaiting review by a pandit. Traditions differ by family and region.