Solah Somvar Vrat: vidhi, katha and rules
Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati · 16 Mondays in a row
Solah Somvar is a vrat for Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati, kept on sixteen Mondays. Many people start it in the month of Shravan, Kartik, Chaitra or Margashirsha. Families keep it praying for a good life partner, a happy home and peace of mind.
🗓 Coming dates (Delhi)
- Monday, 9 November 2026
- Monday, 16 November 2026
- Monday, 23 November 2026
- Monday, 30 November 2026
- Monday, 7 December 2026
- Monday, 14 December 2026
- Monday, 21 December 2026
- Monday, 28 December 2026
Next Shukla paksha begins around Tuesday, 10 November
How it is kept (vidhi)
- On the first Monday, after the morning bath, take the sankalp for sixteen Mondays.
- Offer water, milk, bel leaves, dhatura and white flowers to the Shivling.
- Chant Om Namah Shivaya and worship Mata Parvati as well.
- In the evening, read or listen to the katha and do the aarti.
- Offer churma prasad made of wheat flour, jaggery and ghee.
Common practices
- Many families eat once a day, after the evening puja, often the prasad itself.
- In some homes, salt is avoided on the day.
- The prasad is often split in three: one part for the deity, one to share, and one for the person keeping the vrat.
- Many people like to keep the puja at about the same time each week.
The katha
Once, Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati came to a beautiful temple in the town of Amravati. To pass the time, Parvati ji wished to play chaupar, a dice game. The temple priest was asked who would win, and without thinking he said, Lord Shiva. The game went to Parvati ji, and his careless answer did not please her.
Soon after, the priest fell ill and his days became hard. One day some heavenly maidens visited the temple. Seeing him unwell, they told him about the vrat of sixteen Mondays: worship Shiva every Monday, make a simple prasad of wheat flour, jaggery and ghee, and share it.
The priest kept the vrat with full faith. By the end of the sixteen Mondays his health returned and his life became steady again. When Shiva and Parvati came back, Parvati ji asked how he got well, and heard about the vrat. She kept it herself, and the story travelled from home to home.
Many families still keep Solah Somvar with the same simple faith.
Retold in our own words from the traditional story.
Udyapan
Many families do the udyapan on the 17th Monday. Shiva and Parvati are worshipped, often with a small havan, and churma prasad is made and shared. Feeding a Brahmin or a family in need is also common. Customs differ, so people follow their family's way or ask their pandit.
Questions
- When can I start Solah Somvar?
- Many people begin on the first Monday of Shravan, Kartik, Chaitra or Margashirsha. Some families start on any good Monday. You can choose based on your family's custom.
- On which Monday is the udyapan done?
- Usually on the 17th Monday, after the sixteen are complete. Some families do it on the 16th Monday itself.
- What if I skip a Monday during periods or illness?
- Many families simply continue the next Monday and do not count the one skipped. The count you have made stays. Some people just remember Shiva quietly that day. You can do what feels right.
This information is awaiting review by a pandit. Traditions differ by family and region.