Sixteen Mondays
Monday (Somvar) is Shiva's day — Soma, the moon, rests on his head. The Solah Somvar Vrat is a vow to fast and worship Shiva and Parvati on sixteen consecutive Mondays, finishing with an udyapan on the seventeenth. It is especially popular among young women praying for a good husband, but married couples, parents and anyone with a heartfelt wish keep it too.
The katha
The vrat katha most families read tells of Shiva and Parvati visiting a temple, where they passed the time playing dice. Parvati asked the temple priest who would win; he said "Shiva", without thinking. When Parvati won, she cursed him with leprosy for his careless answer. Some time later celestial women (apsaras) visiting the temple saw his suffering and told him about the Solah Somvar Vrat. He kept it faithfully, and was cured.
The story continues: Parvati, separated from her son Kartikeya, kept the same vrat and he returned to her; Kartikeya kept it to be reunited with a friend; and the friend kept it and won a princess's hand. Each turn of the story shows the vrat working for a different kind of longing — health, a child's return, friendship, marriage.
When to begin
- The most popular time is the first Monday of Shravan month. Chaitra, Vaishakh, Kartik and Margashirsha are also common.
- Begin on a Monday in shukla paksha if possible, and do not break the sequence; if a Monday is missed because of illness or impurity, many families add one more Monday at the end.
The weekly vidhi
- Wake early, bathe, and take the sankalpa on the first Monday (with the number of Mondays and your wish).
- Worship Shiva-Parvati with Ganesha: water and milk on the Shivling, bel patra, white flowers, akshat, chandan, dhoop and a ghee lamp.
- Chant Om Namah Shivaya and read the Solah Somvar katha.
- Offer the prasad — traditionally a churma of wheat flour, ghee and jaggery — and distribute it.
- Eat once in the evening (many eat only the prasad); avoid salt in many families.
Udyapan on the 17th Monday
On the seventeenth Monday the vrat is completed with udyapan: a fuller Shiva-Parvati puja, often with a priest and havan; prasad of churma prepared in a larger quantity and distributed; feeding brahmins or the needy; and gifts for a married couple (often clothes and suhag items for the wife). Families differ in the details — follow your own custom or a priest's guidance.
Frequently asked questions
When should Solah Somvar Vrat be started?
Most often on the first Monday of Shravan; Chaitra, Vaishakh, Kartik and Margashirsha are also used.
Can unmarried girls keep Solah Somvar?
Yes — it is especially popular among unmarried women praying for a good husband.
What is the prasad for Solah Somvar?
Traditionally churma made of wheat flour, ghee and jaggery, distributed after the puja.
What if I miss a Monday?
Many families add one Monday at the end to complete sixteen; a priest can advise for your tradition.
Is salt allowed in Solah Somvar Vrat?
Many families avoid salt and eat once, usually the prasad, in the evening; customs vary.
What is udyapan?
The concluding ceremony on the 17th Monday that formally completes the vow.
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