Sawan Shivratri: Thousands offer prayers at Shiva temples across India

Thousands of devotees across the country thronged Shiva temples on Tuesday to mark Sawan Shivratri, offering prayers and performing Jalabhishek amid chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Bam Bam Bhole”.Devotees observed fasts and offered milk, water, belpatra, flowers and other traditional items to Shivlings as part of the rituals. Large numbers of Kanwariyas also concluded their Kanwar Yatra and offered sacred Ganga water carried from Haridwar and other pilgrimage centres to Lord Shiva.
Sawan Shivratri, one of the most significant festivals dedicated to Lord Shiva after Maha Shivratri, is observed during the holy month of Sawan. Devotees consider the occasion auspicious for prayers, fasting and performing rituals to seek spiritual fulfilment and divine blessings.Major Shiva temples across the country conducted special pujas and made arrangements for devotees to offer prayers and have darshan. Elaborate security and crowd-management measures were also put in place at several prominent temples to ensure the smooth conduct of the celebrations.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, thousands of devotees gathered at the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple to participate in Mangala Aarti and perform Jalabhishek. Security was tightened around the temple and other key areas, with Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel deployed and drones used for surveillance,according to media reports.

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: On Sawan Shivratri, thousands of devotees gathered at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple for Mangala Aarti and Jalabhishek. The temple echoed with “Har Har Mahadev” chants. Devotees offered water, milk, curd and bel leaves, while PAC teams and drones monitored… pic.twitter.com/9wu0Hrbmvc

— IANS (@ians_india) August 11, 2026

In Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, the ancient Veerbhadra Mahadev Temple witnessed a large gathering of devotees. They performed Jalabhishek with water, milk and Panchamrit and offered fruits and belpatra to Lord Shiva.The temple premises reverberated with chants of “Har Har Mahadev” as devotees queued up for darshan and continued with their prayers. Police personnel and temple officials were deployed to regulate the crowds and maintain orderly movement.
In Haridwar, the Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple also saw a large turnout of devotees. People offered Ganga water, milk and bel leaves to Lord Shiva and performed traditional rituals on the auspicious occasion.The temple holds special religious significance for devotees and attracts pilgrims during both Maha Shivratri and Sawan Shivratri.

Haridwar, Uttarakhand: On Sawan Monday, a massive crowd of Shiva devotees gathered at the historic Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple in Kankhal, Haridwar. Carrying Ganga water, devotees performed Jalabhishek and prayers, believing the ritual brings blessings and spiritual merit. The… pic.twitter.com/Bj8u9C6d6L

— IANS (@ians_india) August 10, 2026

In Delhi, the Jhandewalan Devi Temple witnessed a large gathering, with Kanwariyas carrying sacred Ganga water from Haridwar reaching the temple to perform Jalabhishek of Lord Shiva.In Ghaziabad, the historic Dudheshwar Nath Math Mahadev Temple also witnessed a massive turnout, with long queues of devotees waiting for darshan and an opportunity to offer prayers.The temple premises echoed with chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Bam Bam Bhole” as devotees sought Lord Shiva’s blessings and prayed for peace, prosperity and fulfilment of their wishes.

Delhi: On Sawan Shivratri, Jhandewalan Devi Temple in Delhi witnessed a large gathering of devotees. Kanwariyas carrying holy Ganga water from Haridwar performed Jalabhishek of Lord Shiva pic.twitter.com/DrETTTeiGP

— IANS (@ians_india) August 11, 2026

Across the country, the festival was marked by religious fervour, with devotees beginning the day with holy baths, fasting and temple visits. Authorities and temple administrations remained focused on crowd management and security arrangements as large numbers of pilgrims gathered at major Shiva shrines.