Vrat
Fasting observances kept on specific days or occasions, with the rules and reasoning behind each.
Somvar Vrat: Monday Fast to Shiva – Vidhi, Katha and Rules
The ordinary Monday fast to Shiva and Parvati — simpler than the Solah Somvar — kept for a good marriage, family happiness and peace of mind: how it differs from Solah Somvar and Som Pradosh, the vidhi, the katha of the merchant's son given only a short life, and the rules.
Read more →VratBudhvar Vrat: Wednesday Fast to Ganesha and Budh – Vidhi, Katha and Rules
The green Wednesday fast to Lord Ganesha and the planet Budh (Mercury), kept for intelligence, study, speech and business: when to begin and how many Wednesdays, durva and moong in the puja, the one salt-free meal, the katha of the man who left on a Wednesday, and the udyapan.
Read more →VratRaviwar Vrat: Sunday Fast to Surya Dev – Vidhi, Katha and Rules
The Sunday fast to Surya Dev, kept for health, eyesight, reputation and relief from a weak Sun in the horoscope: when to begin and how many Sundays, the morning arghya, the one salt-free meal before sunset, the katha of the old woman and the golden cow, and the udyapan.
Read more →VratKalashtami Vrat: Monthly Kaal Bhairav Fast, Vidhi and Bhairav Jayanti
The monthly fast to Kaal Bhairav on the Ashtami of the waning moon: why Ashtami belongs to him, how Bhairav Jayanti in Margashirsha differs, the night puja with a mustard-oil lamp, feeding a dog, what to eat, and when to break the fast.
Read more →VratShanivar Vrat: Saturday Fast for Shani Dev, Vidhi and Udyapan
The Saturday fast to Shani Dev, kept during Sade Sati, Dhaiya or simply for a steadier life: when to begin, how many Saturdays, the mustard-oil and peepal puja at dusk, the one evening meal, what to donate, and why Hanuman is worshipped alongside.
Read more →VratBrihaspativar (Guruvar) Vrat: Thursday Fast Vidhi, Katha and Udyapan
The yellow Thursday fast to Brihaspati Dev and Lord Vishnu: when to begin it and how many Thursdays to keep, the banana-tree puja, the one salt-free yellow meal, the folk rules about hair and clothes, the katha, and the udyapan.
Read more →VratVat Savitri Vrat: Savitri's Story, Banyan Puja and Rules
The fast married women keep under the banyan tree in Jyeshtha, remembering Savitri who followed Yama and won back Satyavan's life: why North India keeps it on Amavasya and Maharashtra on Purnima, the thread-winding puja step by step, and the parana.
Read more →VratHartalika Teej Vrat: Katha, Vidhi and Nirjala Rules
The nirjala fast women keep on Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya in memory of Parvati's penance for Shiva: why it is called Hartalika, the clay Shiva-Parvati puja, the night jagran, regional differences, and when the fast is broken.
Read more →VratSankashti Chaturthi Vrat: Fast Until Moonrise
The monthly Ganesh fast on the fourth day of the waning moon, broken only after offering arghya to the moon at moonrise. Angaraki Sankashti, Sakat Chauth in Magh, the vidhi, and why it is called the remover of obstacles.
Read more →VratSatyanarayan Vrat and Katha: Puja Vidhi
The Satyanarayan puja and katha to Vishnu as "Truth", kept on Purnima and at every happy milestone — a new home, a wedding, a promotion. The five chapters of the katha, the samagri, the step-by-step puja, and the panjiri-and-banana prasad.
Read more →VratMangalvar Vrat: Tuesday Fast for Hanuman
The Tuesday fast for Hanuman ji, kept for courage, protection, relief from Mangal dosh and freedom from debt. How many Tuesdays to keep, the vidhi, what to eat, the udyapan, and how it connects to Mangal graha.
Read more →VratSolah Somvar Vrat: Vidhi, Katha and Udyapan
Sixteen consecutive Mondays of fasting and Shiva-Parvati worship, kept for a good marriage, harmony at home and wishes fulfilled. When to begin, the weekly vidhi, the popular katha of the cursed priest, and the udyapan on the seventeenth Monday.
Read more →VratPradosh Vrat: Vidhi, Katha and Rules
The twice-monthly fast to Shiva on Trayodashi, with worship at pradosh kaal around sunset. What makes the evening special, how Som, Bhaum and Shani Pradosh differ, the step-by-step vidhi, and when to break the fast.
Read more →VratEkadashi Vrat
A fasting observance on the eleventh day of each lunar fortnight, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Read more →What a vrat involves
A vrat is a vow of fasting or restraint undertaken for a specific spiritual purpose — anything from a full day without food to simply avoiding grains or eating only once. It's typically paired with worship of a particular deity, recitation of their mantra or chalisa, and a specific closing ritual (udyapan) if the vrat runs across multiple occurrences.
Why the rules vary so much
Unlike a single universal fasting practice, each vrat has its own specific rules set by tradition and scripture — what can and can't be eaten, which day of the lunar calendar it falls on, and what the vow is meant to achieve, whether that's general wellbeing, resolving a specific obstacle, or observing a festival's eve. Ekadashi Vrat, observed twice a month, is one of the most widely kept examples.
Approaching a vrat responsibly
Traditional fasting rules were set long before modern health considerations like diabetes or pregnancy were part of the conversation — anyone with a medical condition should adapt a vrat's dietary restrictions sensibly rather than following them rigidly against medical advice.