| Date | Masik Shivratri | Puja window |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, January 16, 2026 | Magha Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:45 PM – 12:26 AM |
| Sunday, February 15, 2026 | Phalguna Masik Shivratri — Maha Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:48 PM – 12:32 AM |
| Tuesday, March 17, 2026 | Chaitra Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:41 PM – 12:28 AM |
| Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | Vaishakha Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:31 PM – 12:21 AM |
| Friday, May 15, 2026 | Jyeshtha Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:26 PM – 12:19 AM |
| Saturday, June 13, 2026 | Ashadha Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:28 PM – 12:24 AM |
| Sunday, July 12, 2026 | Ashadha Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:34 PM – 12:29 AM |
| Wednesday, September 9, 2026 | Bhadrapada Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:28 PM – 12:18 AM |
| Thursday, October 8, 2026 | Ashwina Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:20 PM – 12:06 AM |
| Saturday, November 7, 2026 | Kartika Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:18 PM – 12:01 AM |
| Sunday, December 6, 2026 | Margashirsha Masik Shivratri | Nishita Puja 11:27 PM – 12:07 AM |
Krishna Chaturdashi prevailing at local Nishita (Hindu midnight).
Shiva/Skanda Purana: the night of the Krishna Chaturdashi is dear to Shiva — on this night the pillar of fire (Lingodbhava) appeared which Brahma and Vishnu could not measure; the vigil and abhishek of this night remove a year's sins; keeping the Masik Shivratri vrat for 12/14 consecutive years brings marriage, children and liberation (folk belief); the Chaturdashi is Nishita-vyapini — the night at whose middle the Chaturdashi is present is the vrat day (the list above follows this rule — sometimes it begins on the evening of Trayodashi).
The puja of the four prahars: the first prahar (evening — abhishek with milk), the second (night — curd), the third (midnight — ghee), the fourth (dawn — honey/sugar); 'Om Namah Shivaya', bel leaves and aarti in every prahar; householders should worship at least once in the Nishita Kaal (midnight ± 24 minutes — above).
11 in South Africa (Durban). Lunar months do not align with the calendar year, so the count can be 10 or 12.
1 of the 11 dates differ from India for Durban, because the tithi is judged at the local moment (sunrise/moonrise/Pradosh) and South Africa is hours away from India in time.
Masik Shivratri is every Krishna Chaturdashi (12 times); Maha Shivratri is Phalguna Krishna Chaturdashi (February-March) — the night of the wedding of Shiva and Parvati/Lingodbhava, the four prahars and vigil at their greatest, the kanwar, fairs; the vidhi is one, the fruit multiplied on Maha Shivratri; the Masik Shivratri of Shravana is the second biggest (the kanwar jalabhishek).
The midpoint of the night (half of sunset to sunrise) ± one ghadi (24 minutes) — about 11:40-12:30; Shivratri is a 'night vrat' — Lingodbhava and Shiva's wedding were at midnight, hence the main puja in Nishita; the four prahars = the four parts from sunset to sunrise; both the Nishita and Pradosh times above.
The first prahar (sunset ~6-9) the milk abhishek, the second (9-12) curd, the third (12-3 — Nishita) ghee/panchamrit, the fourth (3-6 dawn) honey-sugar; bel leaves-'Om Namah Shivaya'-aarti each time; if not possible, the one puja at Nishita is enough; set an alarm; keep the vigil if health allows.