Sawan Somvar (Shravan Monday Vrat)

Lord Shiva (Neelkanth)

Hindu

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Sawan Somvar — the Monday fast of Shravan month, dedicated to Lord Shiva. One of the most widely observed vrats in the Hindu calendar: every Monday of Sawan, devotees fast, perform Rudrabhishek with milk and panchamrut, offer bel patra, and break the fast after evening aarti. 2026 has four Sawan Somvars (3, 10, 17, 24 Aug); 2027 has five (19, 26 Jul; 2, 9, 16 Aug).

Dates 2026–2027

August 3, 2026August 10, 2026August 17, 2026August 24, 2026July 19, 2027July 26, 2027August 2, 2027August 9, 2027August 16, 2027

Mantra

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Om Namah Shivaya

Om Namah Shivaya — I bow to Shiva, the supreme consciousness, the auspicious one

How to recite

Rise before sunrise, bathe, and visit a Shiva mandir (or worship the home Shivling). Perform Rudrabhishek — anoint the Shivling with milk, panchamrut (milk, curd, honey, ghee, sugar) and water, traditionally to the chanting of the Rudram (Namakam-Chamakam, Yajurveda). Offer bel patra (bilva leaves), white flowers, dhatura, and fruits. Keep the fast through the day (nirjala or phalahar), recite the Shiv Chalisa or the Somvar Vrat Katha, and break the fast after the evening aarti.

Benefits

Sawan is the month of Shiva — it commemorates his drinking of the Halahal poison during the Samudra Manthan to save creation, which turned his throat blue (Neelkanth); the devas poured Ganga water and milk over him to cool the poison, which is why abhisheka defines Sawan worship. Mondays (Somvar — the day of Soma, the Moon on Shiva's brow) are his own day. Observing every Shravan Somvar is held equivalent to completing the Solah Somvar Vrat (the sixteen-Monday vow), and the first Sawan Somvar is the traditional day to formally begin the Solah Somvar Vrat. Unmarried women observe it for a worthy husband (as Parvati did for Shiva); householders observe it for marital harmony and the family's wellbeing. Origins per the Shiva Purana (Samudra Manthan / Halahal) and Skanda Purana (the Shravan Somvar observance).

✦ Special Note

Purnimanta (North Indian) Shravan reckoning — Sawan 2026 runs 30 Jul-28 Aug; Sawan 2027 runs 19 Jul-17 Aug, and 19 Jul 2027 is both the first day of Sawan and the first Somvar. In Amanta states (Maharashtra, Gujarat, South India) Shravan begins a fortnight later, so local Somvar lists differ — this entry follows the North Indian convention. Dates per Drik Panchang (drikpanchang.com, New Delhi/Purnimanta reckoning), cross-checked against astronomical tithi computation of the Shravan month boundaries.

Foods Allowed

Phalahar — fresh fruits of all kinds (banana, apple, mango, pomegranate)Milk and dairy — milk, curd, paneer (milk is central to Somvar, being Shiva's abhisheka dravya)Sabudana khichdi and sabudana kheerKuttu atta and singhara atta preparations (sendha namak only)Sama (vrat) rice kheerNuts and dry fruitsWater and coconut water (strict observers keep nirjala until evening puja)

Foods to Avoid

Grains (rice, wheat) and lentils — until the fast is broken after evening aartiRegular table salt (sendha namak only)Onion and garlicNon-vegetarian food, eggs, alcohol — never in Sawan

Meal Idea

Phalahar through the day — fruits and milk in the morning, sabudana khichdi after the evening Shiva aarti; strict observers take only water until the evening puja.

🪔 Aarti

Om Jai Shiv Omkara

ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा, स्वामी जय शिव ओंकारा । ब्रह्मा, विष्णु, सदाशिव, अर्द्धांगी धारा ॥ एकानन चतुरानन पंचानन राजे । हंसासन गरुड़ासन वृषवाहन साजे ॥ दो भुज चार चतुर्भुज दसभुज अति सोहे । त्रिगुण रूप निरखत त्रिभुवन जन मोहे ॥ अक्षमाला वनमाला मुंडमाला धारी । त्रिपुरारी कंसारी कर माला धारी ॥ श्वेतांबर पीतांबर बाघंबर अंगे । सनकादिक गरुड़ादिक भूतादिक संगे ॥ कर के मध्य कमंडलु चक्र त्रिशूलधारी । सुखकारी दुखहारी जगपालनकारी ॥ ब्रह्मा विष्णु सदाशिव जानत अविवेका । प्रणवाक्षर के मध्ये ये तीनों एका ॥ काशी में विराजे विश्वनाथ, नंदी ब्रह्मचारी । नित उठ दर्शन पावत, महिमा अति भारी ॥ त्रिगुणस्वामी जी की आरती, जो कोई नर गावे । कहत शिवानंद स्वामी, मनवांछित फल पावे ॥

Karpur Gauram Karunavataram

कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम् । सदावसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ॥

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