Today marks the second Monday of the holy month of Sawan. Due to this, a large gathering of pilgrims is observed in temples located in various regions of the country.
Pilgrims flock to Shiva temples to perform Jalabhishek—the ritual of pouring water onto the Shivling. People visit temples, conduct bathing rituals, and perform special religious rites.
The sacred month of Sawan has begun. According to the Hindu calendar, the month of Sawan (Shravan) is particularly beloved by the god Shiva. During this entire month, performing rituals and worshipping Mahadeva and Mother Parvati helps fulfill all the desires of practitioners. Special significance is given to fasting on the Monday of Sawan. This year, there are four Mondays in the month of Sawan, and the first Monday will be observed on August 3, 2026.
Worshipping Mahadeva on the first Monday of Sawan is considered extremely significant. On this day, Yoga Sukarma and Savarta Siddhi will be formed. Below are the auspicious time intervals for performing rituals on the first Monday of Sawan.
The auspicious time for worship on the first Monday of Sawan includes the following periods: Brahma Muhurta (morning worship) — from 04:11 to 05:33 AM; Abhijit Muhurta (daytime worship) — from 12:19 to 13:10 PM; as well as evening and night worship — from 19:13 to 20:20 PM. One should avoid Rahukala, which falls between 07:53 and 09:30 AM.
On the Monday of Sawan, one should wake up during Brahma Muhurta, take a bath, and wear clean clothes. After that, one must hold water and take an oath of fasting and worship. Then, one needs to perform Abhishek (bathing) of Shiva's shrine in a home temple or a nearby temple, using clean water mixed with Ganga water.
After Jalabhishek, Shiva should be bathed with Panchamrita, prepared from milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, and sugar. After this, he should again be washed with clean water. Sandalwood, bhasma, akshat (unbroken rice), bellapatra, dhatura, bhang, shami patra, and white akriti flowers should be offered to Shiva. The deity Shiva should be offered seasonal fruits, sweets, or kira. The ritual should be concluded by lighting incense and a lamp, reading the story of the fast on the Monday of Sawan, and performing Aarti with the repetition of the mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya.'
There are several special practices that can be performed on the first Monday of Sawan. Firstly, it is recommended to offer 21 or 108 bellapatras inscribed with the words 'Om' or 'Ram' with sandalwood and place them on Shiva. This helps in getting rid of financial difficulties and fulfilling desires. Secondly, if your natal chart shows defects in Shani, Rahu, or Ketu, or if obstacles arise in work, you should perform Jalabhishek, mixing a small amount of black til in the water.
Thirdly, to alleviate health problems, it is recommended to repeat the Mahamurtindжая mantra 108 times before Shiva during Pradosha or morning prayer. The fourth way—to remove obstacles in marriage or improve married life—is to place raw milk mixed with saffron on Shiva and offer ornaments to Mother Parvati. Finally, to ensure an increase in wealth and harvest, as well as victory over hidden enemies, shami patra should be placed on Shiva on the first Monday of Sawan.
