Vrat & observance dates · India · IST
Masik Shivratri 2026
All Masik Shivratri dates this year — the monthly night vrat for Lord Shiva.
Next Masik Shivratri: Thursday, September 10 · Pithori Vrat
In short
There are 4 Masik Shivratri dates in 2026 (India, IST), and the next is Thursday, September 10. The full list is below — tap any date for that day's panchangam.
Masik Shivratri · 2026
June 2026
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
Computed from the panchang (India, IST · Hyderabad reference). A regional calendar may occasionally differ by a day when a tithi spans or skips a sunrise.
What is Masik Shivratri?
All Masik Shivratri dates this year — the monthly night vrat for Lord Shiva.
Masik Shivratri falls on the fourteenth tithi (Chaturdashi) of the waning (Krishna) fortnight, once a lunar month, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is observed with a night vrat and Nishita kaal puja. The Masik Shivratri in Phalguna is the great Maha Shivratri.
Devotees fast, keep a night vigil and offer abhishekam to the Shiva linga. The Nishita kaal (midnight) is the most auspicious window for worship.
The dates below are computed from the panchang for India (IST). Tap any date for that day's full panchangam.
How to observe Masik Shivratri
- 1 On the Masik Shivratri day, wake early, bathe and take a sankalp (vow) to observe the vrat.
- 2 Keep the fast through the day as per the observance — avoiding grains where prescribed.
- 3 Offer puja and prayers to the presiding deity, with japa and reading of the vrat katha.
- 4 Break the fast (parana) at the prescribed time — see that day's panchangam for the exact window.
How this is calculated
Timings are computed with the Drik (observational) method using the Lahiri (Chitra-paksha) ayanamsha, for India (IST) with Hyderabad as the reference location. Sunrise- and sunset-based windows — Rahu Kalam, Choghadiya and the muhurtas — are derived from the day's actual sunrise and sunset, so they shift a few minutes by city.
FAQ
How is Masik Shivratri different from Maha Shivratri?
Masik Shivratri is the monthly Shivratri, on the Krishna-paksha Chaturdashi of every lunar month; Maha Shivratri is the single most important one, which falls in the month of Phalguna (Feb–Mar).
When is Masik Shivratri puja done?
At night, and most auspiciously during the Nishita kaal — the window around midnight. Tap any date for that day's Nishita kaal timing.
Which god is worshipped on Masik Shivratri?
Lord Shiva. The Shiva linga is bathed (abhishekam) with water, milk, honey and bilva leaves, and devotees chant "Om Namah Shivaya" through the night.
How do you observe Masik Shivratri?
With a day-long fast, a night vigil (jagran), a four-prahar (four-part) night puja and abhishekam of the Shiva linga; the fast is usually broken the next morning.
What are the benefits of the Masik Shivratri vrat?
It is believed to wash away sins, bestow Shiva's grace and lead toward moksha; unmarried women often observe it praying for a good spouse, and couples for marital harmony.
What can we eat during the Masik Shivratri fast?
Many keep a phalahar fast of fruit, milk and vrat foods; the more devout observe a nirjala (waterless) fast. Grains, rice and pulses are avoided.
How many Masik Shivratris are there in a year?
Usually 12 — one every lunar month; the Phalguna one is celebrated as Maha Shivratri. A year with an extra (adhika) month has 13.
