Shiva
Shravan Somvar
Shiva's day in Shiva's month — the year's gentlest, most-loved vrat.
Tithi: Every Monday of the month of Shravana
In the simplest words
Mondays of the monsoon month belong to Shiva — a simple fast, a little water on the Shivling, and 'Om Namah Shivaya' through the rain.
The story & purpose
Monday is the moon's day, and the moon rests in Shiva's hair — so when Mondays fall in Shravana, the month the monsoon gives to Shiva, each becomes a small festival. Households fast simply, visit the shivalaya, and pour water and milk over the linga with bel leaves.
Tradition holds that Parvati won Shiva through Shravana austerities — so unmarried girls keep these Mondays (and the associated solah somvar cycle) for a worthy companion, and households for calm strength. It is bhakti at its most homely: water, leaves, and constancy.
What is done
Somvar vrat
A simple fast — fruit, milk, or one meal — with sankalpa at morning puja.
Abhishek
Jal and doodh over the linga, bel leaves smooth side down, one flower is enough.
Shiva jaap
Om Namah Shivaya, 108 times, morning and evening.
Katha
The Somvar vrat katha read before breaking the fast.
Best timings
Abhishek in the morning; vrat broken after evening puja.
Exact muhurat varies by city and tradition — for the precise hour, consult a local panchang for your location.
Worth knowing
North India (purnimanta) counts Sawan from after Guru Purnima; the Deccan and south (amanta) begin a fortnight later — their Shravan Mondays can run into September.
2027's north-reckoning Sawan holds five Mondays — an especially full cycle.
The solah somvar (sixteen Mondays) vow traditionally begins in Shravana.
Mantras of this festival
Note: Dates above follow north-Indian purnimanta months. In amanta regions (Maharashtra, Gujarat, the south) Shravan 2027 runs 3–31 Aug, with Mondays 9, 16, 23, 30 Aug.