Masik Shivratri 2036 dates

How it is kept

A fast, worship of Shiva, and the main puja at midnight (nishita).

Why it is kept

Masik Shivratri, Shiva's night each month, falls on the Chaturdashi of the dark half, the night before the new moon. The Shiva Purana praises the Shivratri vrat; the one in Phalguna (Magha in the amanta calendar) is Maha Shivratri, and keeping the monthly ones through the year is a tradition of its own, often begun on Maha Shivratri.

How it is kept, step by step

1. A bath, a resolve (sankalpa), and the fast through the day.
2. In the evening and at night, abhishek of the Shivling with water, milk, curd, honey and ghee, with bel leaves, dhatura and flowers.
3. Chanting Om Namah Shivaya or the Mahamrityunjaya mantra, and staying awake for worship through the night, as one is able.
4. The main puja in the nishita hour around midnight; the table above gives the time for your city.
5. The fast is broken the next morning, after a bath and worship.

The fast

Most keep the fast through the day and night with fruit, milk and water, and break it the next morning. Those who keep it strictly leave out grains, salt and onion. Fast as your health allows: children, elders, pregnant women and anyone unwell traditionally keep a lighter fast, and anyone with a medical condition should ask their doctor first.

Shivratris of the year

Maha Shivratri

The great Shivratri of Phalguna (Magha in the amanta calendar), the year's most important.

Sawan Shivratri

The Shivratri of Shravana in North India, when Kanwar pilgrims bring Ganga water to Shiva temples.

Across India

In the South it is Masa Shivaratri, with abhishek in Shiva temples through the night. In the North, Sawan Shivratri closes the Kanwar Yatra. In Maharashtra devotees visit the Jyotirlingas of Trimbakeshwar, Bhimashankar, Grishneshwar, Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath, most of all on Maha Shivratri.