Vrat katha & puja vidhi

Ekadashi is the eleventh lunar day of each fortnight — about 24 times a year — kept as a fast for Lord Vishnu. The fast runs from sunrise to the next sunrise and is broken (parana) on Dwadashi. You can keep it at the level that suits you: no water, water only, milk, fruit, or one grain-free meal.

The Satyanarayan puja honours Satyanarayana — Vishnu as the embodiment of truth — and centres on listening to a set of stories (the vrat katha). It has no fixed day, but Purnima (full moon) is considered especially auspicious; devotees fast and the evening is preferred so the fast can be broken with the prasad.

Pradosh Vrat is a twice-monthly Shiva observance on Trayodashi, the 13th lunar day of each fortnight. The worship is done at dusk (pradosh kaal), the evening hours after sunset, after a day of fasting. When it falls on a Monday it is called Soma Pradosh, on a Tuesday Bhauma Pradosh, and on a Saturday Shani Pradosh.

Sankashti (Sankatahara) Chaturthi is a monthly Ganesha vrat on the fourth day of the dark fortnight, after the full moon. Devotees fast through the day and break the fast at night after sighting the Moon and praying to Ganesha. When it falls on a Tuesday it is called Angaraki Chaturthi and held to be the most auspicious.

Karwa Chauth is kept by married women, mainly in North and West India and Nepal, on the Chaturthi of the dark fortnight of Kartika (Ashwin in the amanta calendar). They fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husband’s well-being and long life, worship Parvati (Gauri), Shiva and Ganesha in the evening, and break the fast after offering water to the Moon.

The Somvar (Monday) vrat is a weekly fast for Lord Shiva. Devotees bathe, worship Shiva with white flowers while chanting “Om Namah Shivaya”, listen to the katha in the evening, and eat one meal at night (nakta) or keep a full fast. The Skanda Purana especially praises the Mondays of Shravana.

The Mangalvar (Tuesday) vrat is a weekly fast for Hanuman, kept for devotion, strength and to ease difficulties. Devotees usually vow 21, 31 or 51 Tuesdays, wear red, worship Hanuman with red flowers and sindoor, listen to the katha, and eat simple fruit-and-milk food or one sattvic meal.

Navratri (“nine nights”) honours the Goddess Durga in her nine forms. The two main ones are Sharad Navratri, from Ashwina Shukla Pratipada, ending in Vijayadashami (Dussehra), and Chaitra (Vasanta) Navratri in spring, ending with Ram Navami. It begins with Ghatasthapana (installing the kalash), and many fast for one, some or all nine days.

Mahashivratri, “the great night of Shiva”, falls on the Krishna Chaturdashi of Phalguna (Magha in the amanta calendar). Devotees fast, keep a night-long vigil, and worship the Shiva lingam with water, milk and bilva leaves — once in the night or in each of the four prahars — and break the fast the next morning.

Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna on the Ashtami of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada (Shravana in the amanta calendar). Devotees fast, sing and keep vigil until midnight — the hour of his birth — then bathe and dress the image of baby Krishna, place it in a cradle, and break the fast with sweets.