Shravana Somavara - Dwitiya 2026 Date

About Shravana Somavara - Dwitiya

The second of Shravana's Mondays — the one that tests whether a devotee can hold a Solah Somvar (sixteen-Monday) fast past the easy first week. Worship centres on an abhishek of the Shiva lingam with milk, water and bilva leaves, traditionally to the Namakam–Chamakam chants.

Mondays belong to Shiva because the day is ruled by the Moon (Soma), which he wears on his matted hair. The Skanda Purana's Shravana Mahatmya — told as a dialogue between Shiva and Sanatkumara, son of Brahma — singles out this month's Mondays above all others. A common practice is the Solah Somvar Vrat, a chain of sixteen Monday fasts often begun on the first Shravan Monday; the second Monday is where casual observers drop off and the vow truly begins. The fast is broken after sunset with one salt-free meal of fruit and milk. In North India the day is also when Kanwar Yatra pilgrims, in saffron, finish carrying Ganga water on a kavad — a pole slung with pots at each end — to pour it over a local lingam. Tuesdays that follow are kept for Parvati as Mangala Gauri.