Sawan 2026 Begins — But When? Why North India and the South Start Two Weeks Apart
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Ask two friends — one in Lucknow, one in Pune, when Sawan starts this year, and you'll get two different answers. Both are right. In North India, Sawan 2026 begins on 30 July, while in Maharashtra and South India it begins on 13 August — a gap of about two weeks for the very same holy month.
It's not a mistake or a disagreement. It's two ancient calendar systems doing the same maths from a different starting point. Here's the simple explanation.
The two dates
Region | Calendar | Sawan / Shravan 2026 |
|---|---|---|
North India | Purnimanta | 30 July – 28 August |
Maharashtra, Gujarat & South India | Amanta | 13 August – 11 September |
North India (Purnimanta): Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh
Amanta: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
Why the difference? Two ways to end a month
A Hindu lunar month lasts about 29.5 days and has two halves:
Shukla Paksha — the bright fortnight (new moon → full moon)
Krishna Paksha — the dark fortnight (full moon → new moon)
Everyone agrees on the moon. What the two systems disagree on is where a month ends:
Purnimanta (North India) — the month ends on the Purnima (full moon). So a new month begins the day after the full moon.
Amanta (Maharashtra & South) — the month ends on the Amavasya (new moon). So a new month begins the day after the new moon.
Because the Purnimanta month starts with the dark fortnight and the Amanta month starts with the bright fortnight, the same-named month begins about 15 days earlier in the Purnimanta system.
That's the whole secret. In 2026:
Guru Purnima (Ashadha's full moon) falls on 29 July. The very next day — 30 July — the Purnimanta month of Shravan begins in North India.
The Amanta system waits for the next new moon (around 12 August), so its Shravan begins on 13 August.
Same month, same moon, same devotion — just measured from a different post.
Both are named after the same full moon
Here's the neat part: the month is called Shravan in both systems because it's named after the Shravan Purnima — the full moon when the moon sits near the Shravana star. In 2026 that full moon is 28 August (Raksha Bandhan).
In the Purnimanta calendar, that full moon is the last day of Shravan.
In the Amanta calendar, that same full moon sits in the middle of Shravan.
So Raksha Bandhan lands on 28 August across India — but for North India it closes the month, while for Maharashtra and the South, the month continues into September.
Does it change how Sawan is observed?
Not really — the devotion is identical. Both regions dedicate the month to Lord Shiva, keep the Shravan Somvar (Monday) fasts, offer water and bel leaves at Shiva temples, and mark festivals like Nag Panchami and Raksha Bandhan. The only practical difference is which weeks the observances fall in.
Shravan Somvar (Mondays) 2026:
North India: 3 Aug · 10 Aug · 17 Aug · 24 Aug
Maharashtra & South: 17 Aug · 24 Aug · 31 Aug · 7 Sept
(Always cross-check with your local panchang — regional almanacs can vary by a day.)
What is Sawan, in one minute?
Sawan (Shravan) is considered the holiest month for worshipping Lord Shiva. Devotees fast on Mondays (Sawan Somvar), wear rudraksha, avoid certain foods, and throng Shiva temples. It's also the season of the Kanwar Yatra, when devotees carry holy water from the Ganga to offer at Shiva shrines. Falling in the heart of the monsoon, the month carries a mood of renewal, discipline, and devotion.
Frequently asked questions
When does Sawan 2026 start?
30 July in North India (Purnimanta calendar) and 13 August in Maharashtra and South India (Amanta calendar).
Why does Sawan begin on different dates in India?
Because North India follows the Purnimanta calendar (months end on the full moon) while Maharashtra and the South follow the Amanta calendar (months end on the new moon). The same month begins about 15 days earlier in the Purnimanta system.
When does Sawan 2026 end?
28 August in North India (Raksha Bandhan / Shravan Purnima) and 11 September in Maharashtra and the South.
Are the rituals different?
No — both worship Lord Shiva and keep the Monday fasts. Only the calendar dates of the observances differ.
How many Sawan Somvars are there in 2026?
Four in each region — 3, 10, 17, 24 August in the North; 17, 24, 31 August and 7 September in Maharashtra and the South.
Observing Sawan this year? Find pandits, puja services, and Sawan essentials near you on LifeNavi.
