Shravana Shanivara 2026 – Sacred Saturdays for Venkateswara
श्रावण शनिवार
When is the first Shravana Shanivara in 2026?
The first Shravana Shanivara (Shravan Saturday) in 2026 falls on Saturday, 15 August. In Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka the Amanta Shravana month runs from 13 August to 11 September 2026, so the four sacred Saturdays are 15, 22 and 29 August and 5 September. Devotees fast and worship Lord Venkateswara (Balaji), and in some homes Lord Shani and Hanuman as well.
Shravana Shanivara refers to the Saturdays that fall within Shravana, regarded in South India as the holiest month of the year. Across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka these Saturdays are set aside to worship Lord Venkateswara, the Balaji of Tirumala, with fasting, abhishekam and the Venkateswara Swamy Vratam. Some families also honour Lord Shani on these days to ease the effects of Saturn, and offer prayers to Hanuman. In 2026 the first Shravana Saturday is 15 August.
Shravana Shanivara 2026-2028: Dates & Calendar
The first Shravana Shanivara of 2026 is Saturday, 15 August. The dates shift each year because Shravana is a lunar month, and South Indian states follow the Amanta reckoning where the month ends on the new moon.
| Year | Shravana Saturdays | First Saturday | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 15, 22, 29 Aug · 5 Sep | Sat 15 August | Next occurrence · Shravana 13 Aug-11 Sep |
| 2027 | 7, 14, 21, 28 Aug | Sat 7 August | Shravana 3 Aug-31 Aug |
| 2028 | 29 Jul · 5, 12, 19 Aug | Sat 29 July | Shravana 23 Jul-20 Aug |
There are usually four Shravana Saturdays in a month, occasionally five. Devotees who take up the Sapta Shanivara Vratam continue for seven consecutive Saturdays, so the vow can begin in Shravana and carry on into the following month.
Why Shravana Saturdays Are Observed
Shravana Saturdays are observed because Shravana is held to be the most sacred lunar month, and Saturday within it is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, with fasting and temple worship believed to bring prosperity and relief from hardship.
Each weekday of Shravana carries its own devotion. Mondays belong to Shiva, Tuesdays to Gauri, Fridays to Lakshmi, and Saturdays to Lord Venkateswara. This weekly rhythm turns the whole month into a season of continuous worship, and the Saturdays draw the largest crowds at Balaji shrines.
Dedicated to Venkateswara
Saturday is the special day of Lord Venkateswara, the form of Vishnu enshrined at Tirumala. Observing the Saturdays of Shravana is thought to please Balaji and bring health, wealth and the fulfilment of sincere wishes.
The Venkateswara Vratam
Many households perform the Venkateswara Swamy Vratam on these Saturdays, a simple home puja with the Lord’s story, kalasha and prasadam. Some devotees take up the seven-Saturday Sapta Shanivara Vratam for a specific prayer such as marriage, children or recovery from illness.
Relief from Shani
Because Saturday is also the day of Shani (Saturn), some families offer prayers to Lord Shani on Shravana Saturdays to soften the effects of Sade Sati and Shani dosha. Lighting a sesame-oil lamp and donating black items are common acts of relief.
Hanuman on Saturday
Saturday is widely associated with Hanuman too, so many devotees add a visit to a Hanuman temple or a recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa. Hanuman, as the great devotee of Rama, is honoured for courage and protection from fear.
Deities Worshipped on Shravana Saturdays
The chief deity of Shravana Shanivara is Lord Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu. Depending on family custom, Lord Shani and Hanuman are also worshipped on the same day.
Venkateswara (Balaji)
Lord Venkateswara, the presiding deity of Tirumala, is a form of Vishnu who is believed to have descended to help humanity through the age of Kali. Saturdays of Shravana are his special days, marked by abhishekam and archana at Balaji temples across the South.
Shani (Saturn)
Shani, the lord of Saturn, governs karma, discipline and just reward. On Shravana Saturdays some devotees offer him sesame oil, black sesame and prayers, seeking a gentler passage through Sade Sati and Shani’s influence.
Hanuman
Hanuman, the mighty devotee of Rama, is honoured on Saturdays for strength and protection. Reciting the Hanuman Chalisa or offering vermilion and a garland of leaves is a common addition to the Saturday worship.
Key Rituals, Step by Step
The core of the day is a Saturday fast joined to worship of Venkateswara at home or in a temple. A simple sequence is easy to follow.
- Rise early and bathe. Wake before sunrise, bathe and wear clean clothes. Sweep and wash the puja area, and resolve to keep the fast (sankalpa) for the day.
- Set up the altar. Place an image or idol of Lord Venkateswara, light a lamp with ghee or sesame oil, and keep flowers, tulsi leaves, turmeric, kumkum and a small kalasha of water ready.
- Offer abhishekam. Bathe the deity or the kalasha with water and milk, wipe clean, and apply sandal paste and kumkum. In temples the Saturday abhishekam to Balaji is the central seva of the day.
- Perform the Venkateswara Vratam. Read or listen to the Venkateswara Swamy Vratam katha, chant the Vishnu Sahasranama or Govinda namavali, and offer archana with the Lord’s names.
- Honour Shani and Hanuman if observed. Where the custom is followed, light a sesame-oil lamp for Shani, offer black sesame, and recite the Hanuman Chalisa before a picture of Hanuman.
- Offer naivedya. Present the prepared prasadam such as pulihora, laddu or fruit, then wave camphor aarti and sing the concluding songs.
- Visit a temple. Many devotees travel to a Venkateswara temple, and those who can make the pilgrimage to Tirumala for darshan of the Lord.
- Break the fast. After sunset or the evening puja, distribute prasadam and break the fast with the offered food, sharing it with family and visitors.
Special Foods of Shravana Saturdays
Food on these Saturdays is simple and sattvic, centred on the prasadam offered to Venkateswara and on light fasting fare eaten after the puja.
Laddu prasadam
The famous Tirupati laddu, made of gram flour, ghee, sugar and cashew, is the best-loved prasadam of Venkateswara. Homes often prepare boondi or besan laddu to offer and share on Saturdays.
Pulihora
Tamarind rice tempered with mustard, curry leaves, peanuts and dry chillies is a classic South Indian temple offering. Its tang and keeping quality make it a natural naivedya for Saturday worship.
Chakkera pongali
Sweet pongal of rice and moong dal cooked with jaggery, ghee, cashew and cardamom is a warm, festive prasadam commonly offered to Venkateswara.
Fasting fare
Those who keep a strict fast eat only fruit, milk and light preparations such as sabudana and sama rice, taken after the puja. Onion, garlic and grains are usually set aside for the day.
Where Shravana Shanivara Is Observed
Shravana Saturdays are most strongly kept in the Telugu and Kannada speaking states, where Venkateswara devotion runs deep.
Andhra Pradesh & Telangana
In the Telugu heartland the Saturdays of Shravana are a busy time at Venkateswara temples. Families perform the Venkateswara Vratam at home, and many make a special trip to a Balaji shrine for darshan.
Tirumala
At Tirumala, the hill abode of Lord Venkateswara, Saturdays draw very large crowds. The Saturday abhishekam after the Suprabhata seva is among the most sought-after rituals of the day.
Karnataka
In Karnataka, where the Amanta Shravana is followed, devotees observe the Saturdays with fasting and worship of Venkateswara alongside the month’s other weekday vratas.
Diaspora temples
Venkateswara temples abroad, built by South Indian communities, hold Saturday abhishekam and archana through Shravana so that devotees far from Tirumala can keep the observance.
Shravana Shanivara Do's and Don'ts
A few simple practices help you keep the Saturday observance with a calm and respectful mind.
Do
- Bathe early and keep the puja space clean before you begin.
- Take the sankalpa (resolve) for the fast and hold it sincerely through the day.
- Offer abhishekam and archana to Venkateswara with tulsi and flowers.
- Recite the Vishnu Sahasranama, Govinda namavali or Hanuman Chalisa.
- Share the prasadam with family, neighbours and anyone in need.
Avoid
- Avoid non-vegetarian food, onion and garlic on the day.
- Do not skip the puja and keep only the diet fast; worship is the heart of it.
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco and quarrels that disturb the mind.
- Do not force a strict waterless fast on children, the elderly or the unwell.
- Avoid guessing dates; follow a reliable panchang for your region.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the first Shravana Shanivara in 2026?
The first Shravana Shanivara in 2026 falls on Saturday, 15 August. The four sacred Saturdays of the Amanta Shravana month are 15, 22 and 29 August and 5 September 2026, observed mainly in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.
What are the Shravana Saturdays in 2027 and 2028?
In 2027 the Shravana Saturdays fall on 7, 14, 21 and 28 August, and in 2028 they fall on 29 July and 5, 12 and 19 August. The dates move each year because Shravana is a lunar month reckoned by the Amanta calendar in South India.
Which god is worshipped on Shravana Shanivara?
Lord Venkateswara, the Balaji of Tirumala and a form of Vishnu, is the chief deity of Shravana Saturdays. In some households Lord Shani (Saturn) and Hanuman are also worshipped on the same day, since Saturday is linked to all three.
Why are Saturdays special in the month of Shravana?
Saturdays are special in Shravana because each weekday of this holiest month is dedicated to a deity, and Saturday belongs to Lord Venkateswara. Fasting and worship on these Saturdays are believed to bring prosperity, remove obstacles and ease the effects of Saturn.
What is the Venkateswara Swamy Vratam?
The Venkateswara Swamy Vratam is a home puja to Lord Venkateswara performed on Shravana Saturdays. It involves a fast, an altar with the Lord’s image and a kalasha, the reading of his story, and an offering of prasadam such as pulihora or laddu.
How is the Shravana Saturday fast kept?
The Shravana Saturday fast is kept by bathing early, taking a resolve, and worshipping Venkateswara before eating. Devotees usually take fruit, milk and light sattvic food and avoid grains, onion and garlic, breaking the fast after the evening puja with the offered prasadam.
Can I worship Shani and Hanuman on Shravana Saturdays?
Yes, many devotees worship Lord Shani and Hanuman on Shravana Saturdays alongside Venkateswara. Saturday is the day of Shani, so a sesame-oil lamp and prayers are offered for relief from Saturn’s effects, while the Hanuman Chalisa is recited for strength and protection.
Do I need to visit Tirumala on Shravana Saturdays?
A visit to Tirumala is not required, and the Saturdays can be kept fully at home with the Venkateswara Vratam. Devotees who are able often make the pilgrimage for darshan, but a local Venkateswara temple or a home altar is equally valid.
May Lord Venkateswara bless your Shravana Saturdays with peace and plenty. Govinda! Govinda!