Time & skyThe 13th lunar day, at dusk
Pradosh
Evening worship of Shiva, twice a lunar month.
Try it at home
At sunset, light a lamp and chant Om Namah Shivaya 11 times. Fasting is optional; ask a doctor first if you have a health condition.
Optional, as always. Adapt it to your family, region and health.
The wisdom
Worship of Shiva in the twilight of the 13th lunar day (Trayodashi), in both halves of the lunar month, often with a fast until evening.
Dusk is treated as a threshold between day and night. Pausing at that hour for a lamp and a prayer gives the day a calm close.
What the evidence says
Evidence: LimitedSmall or preliminary studies.Studies of intermittent fasting show some metabolic effects, but there are few trials on this fast itself. Its spiritual meaning is a matter of faith.
How we rate evidenceSignificance
What it means to the people who keep it. Faith-based meaning is described as belief, not as proven fact.
Pradosh is held to be a time when Shiva is especially gracious. When it falls on a Monday (Som Pradosh) or Saturday (Shani Pradosh) it is considered more significant.