Shravan Somvar Vrat: vidhi, katha and rules
Lord Shiva · Every Monday of the Shravan month
The month of Shravan (Sawan) is seen as very dear to Lord Shiva, and its Mondays are a popular time for a vrat. Shravan usually has 4 or 5 Mondays. Many people offer water to the Shivling and fast through the day, praying for a happy home or a good life partner.
🗓 Coming dates (Delhi)
- Monday, 19 July 2027
- Monday, 26 July 2027
- Monday, 2 August 2027
- Monday, 9 August 2027
- Monday, 16 August 2027
- Monday, 10 July 2028
- Monday, 17 July 2028
- Monday, 24 July 2028
Next Shukla paksha begins around Tuesday, 10 November
How it is kept (vidhi)
- Bathe in the morning, wear clean clothes and take the sankalp for the Shravan Mondays.
- At a nearby temple or at home, offer water, milk and bel leaves to the Shivling.
- Many also offer dhatura, bhang leaves, sandalwood paste and white flowers.
- Chant Om Namah Shivaya or the Mahamrityunjaya mantra.
- In the evening, light a diya, listen to the katha and do the aarti.
Common practices
- Many people take only fruit and milk. Some eat one simple sattvik meal in the evening.
- Many families avoid onion, garlic and non-vegetarian food for the whole month.
- Turmeric and tulsi are traditionally not offered to the Shivling.
- Some also keep the Mangala Gauri vrat on the Tuesdays of Shravan.
The katha
When the gods and asuras churned the ocean for amrit, a fierce poison called halahal came up first. Its heat spread across the worlds and no one could bear it. Everyone turned to Lord Shiva. Out of compassion, Shiva drank the poison and held it in his throat, which turned blue. That is why he is called Neelkanth.
To cool him, the gods poured water over him, and it is believed this happened in the month of Shravan. So in Shravan, devotees offer water, milk and bel leaves to the Shivling, as a way of saying thank you.
Shravan is also linked with Mata Parvati. She wished to have Shiva as her husband and did long, patient tapasya. Her devotion moved Shiva, and their union is remembered in this month. Many young women keep Shravan Mondays praying for a kind life partner, and many couples keep them for harmony at home.
So the Mondays of Shravan carry two feelings: gratitude to Shiva, and the quiet strength of Parvati's devotion.
Retold in our own words from the traditional story.
Udyapan
There is no fixed udyapan for Shravan Mondays. Many families end the month with a Rudrabhishek on the last Shravan Monday, or by feeding someone in need. Some people keep it again every year.
Questions
- How many Mondays are there in Shravan?
- Usually 4 or 5, depending on the year. Shravan dates differ a little between North India (purnimant) and the South and West (amant), so check your local panchang.
- What can I eat on a Shravan Monday fast?
- Many people take fruit, milk, sabudana, kuttu or water chestnut flour, and rock salt. Some eat one plain meal in the evening. Choose what suits your health.
This information is awaiting review by a pandit. Traditions differ by family and region.