Shiva & Parvati
Pradosh Vrat
Twilight of the thirteenth, when Shiva dances between Nandi's horns, and asking is easy.
All dates (+25)
Tithi: Trayodashi of both fortnights, at twilight
In the simplest words
Twice a month, at the meeting of day and night, Shiva dances, and a small twilight fast with abhishek catches his happiest hour.
The story & purpose
Pradosh is a time more than a day: the three-quarters hour bracketing sunset on trayodashi, when tradition holds Shiva is in his most benevolent mood, dancing on Kailash while the devas watch, all requests granted between the twilight's two lights. The vrat is kept twice a month, in both fortnights.
The rest of the story
Weekday flavours are counted: Som Pradosh (Monday) for peace, Bhauma (Tuesday) for health, Shani Pradosh (Saturday) most sought of all. The samudra manthan memory anchors it: the devas fasted this trayodashi, and Shiva drank the poison at sandhya.
What is done
Sandhya abhishek
The linga bathed at twilight with water, milk and bel, the vrat's essential act.
Fast till twilight
A day's fast opened after the pradosh puja.
Pradosh stotra & jaap
Om Namah Shivaya through the twilight; the hour itself is the offering.
Best timings
All of it within pradosh kala, the twilight window that opens at sunset and runs an hour and a half to two hours; your panchang prints the exact span for your city, and Tamil temples begin pradosham about ninety minutes before sunset.
Exact muhurat varies by city and tradition; for the precise hour, consult a local panchang for your location.
Worth knowing
Pradosh and Shivratri pair as Shiva's two monthly appointments: twilight and midnight.
Tamil tradition bathes Nandi too at pradosham, the listener honoured with the Lord.
The dates listed run through 2027; your panchang's paksha labels (Krishna/Shukla) alternate through them.