Sawan 2026: Which Shiva Mantras to Chant — Dates, Somwar Vrat & Method
Sawan (Shravan) is the month of Shiva — and in 2026 it runs from 30 July to 28 August in North India, with the Sawan Somwars (Mondays) falling on 3, 10, 17 and 24 August. The mantra most traditionally chanted through the month is Om Namah Shivaya, 108 times daily, and the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is especially associated with Shravan for health and protection. Here are this year's dates for both calendars, the mantras tradition prescribes, and a simple daily method to carry you through the month.
Chant through Sawan with the Mantras App
Om Namah Shivaya and the Maha Mrityunjaya with guided audio, correct pronunciation and a 108 japa counter — free.
Sawan 2026 dates — start, end and Somwar list
India follows two lunar calendars, so Sawan begins on different dates in different regions — the sacred month itself is the same.
| Region | Sawan 2026 begins | Sawan 2026 ends | Sawan Somwar (Monday) dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| North India (Purnimanta) — UP, Rajasthan, MP, Bihar, Punjab, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh | Thursday, 30 July | Friday, 28 August (Shravan Purnima / Raksha Bandhan) | 3, 10, 17, 24 August |
| Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa & South India (Amanta) | Thursday, 13 August | Friday, 11 September | 17, 24, 31 August; 7 September |
Two other days of the month are especially observed: Sawan Shivratri (the Masik Shivratri of Shravan, night of 11 August 2026 in the North) and Shravan Purnima (28 August), which is also Raksha Bandhan. Dates can shift slightly by locality — when in doubt, follow your local panchang.
Which mantra to chant in Sawan
Om Namah Shivaya — the mantra of the month
The five-syllable Panchakshari mantra — ॐ नमः शिवाय — is the heart of Sawan practice. It needs no initiation, no ritual setting and no fixed hour, which is why devotees keep it running through the whole month: 108 times in the morning, and quietly through the day. Full spelling, meaning and method on our Om Namah Shivaya page.
Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra — for health and protection
The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra (Rigveda 7.59.12) — Om Tryambakam Yajamahe… — is traditionally chanted through Shravan, on Mondays, and during illness, for healing and protection. Text, word-by-word meaning and jaap method on our Maha Mrityunjaya guide.
Shiva Gayatri — for steady meditation
Some devotees add the Shiva Gayatri — Om Tatpurushaya Vidmahe Mahadevaya Dhimahi, Tanno Rudrah Prachodayat — a meditative invocation of Rudra in the Gayatri metre, usually chanted after the main japa rather than in place of it.
One mantra kept daily beats three attempted occasionally. If you are new, choose Om Namah Shivaya alone for this Sawan.
How to chant on Sawan Somwar (and every day of the month)
- Bathe or wash, and sit facing east or north in a quiet spot, spine upright.
- Take three slow breaths and, if you like, state your sankalpa — the intention for the month.
- Listen first — play the mantra audio once and absorb the rhythm and pronunciation.
- Chant 108 times — count on a rudraksha mala or the app's 108 japa counter. On Somwars, many devotees add a second mala.
- Sit in silence for a minute, and offer the practice.
Chanting and the Somwar vrat (fast) are separate observances — you can chant without fasting. New to japa? Start with the complete chanting method and the traditional rules.
Why Sawan is sacred to Shiva
Tradition connects Sawan to the samudra manthan — the churning of the cosmic ocean — when the poison halahala rose first from the waters and Shiva drank it to save creation, holding it in his throat (hence Neelkanth, the blue-throated one). Through Sawan, devotees offer water, milk and bel patra on the Shivling to cool and honour him. The Kanwar Yatra — the great monsoon pilgrimage in which devotees carry Ganga water on foot to their local Shiva temples — belongs to this same offering: the month's chanting, fasting and water-offering are all one gesture of devotion.
A simple Sawan practice plan
- Daily: Om Namah Shivaya × 108, morning or evening — same time every day.
- Sawan Somwars (3, 10, 17, 24 Aug in the North): add a second mala, or the Maha Mrityunjaya × 108.
- Sawan Shivratri (11 Aug): evening or midnight japa if you can.
- Through the day: let the mantra run silently — manasik japa counts.
Benefits in the tradition's own framing: steadiness of mind, devotion, and the quiet discipline of a month kept well — fruits of consistent practice, not instant results.