🖤 Saturday Vrat (Shani Dev) 2026

Next Saturday — the day of Shani Dev and Hanuman: a mustard-oil lamp under the peepal at dusk, oil, black sesame and urad at the Shani temple, a 7/11/19-Saturday vrat; for Sade Sati, Dhaiya, Saturn afflictions, illness, debt and court matters. Vidhi, the katha of King Vikramaditya, donations and rules below.

Saturday belongs to **Shani Dev** (Saturn, son of the Sun, the giver of the fruit of karma) — and also to Hanuman, in whose refuge Shani does not trouble. The Saturday vrat is kept mainly for Sade Sati (Saturn's seven-and-a-half-year transit over the Moon sign), Dhaiya, Saturn afflictions in the chart, long illness, debt, obstacles at work and court cases — 7, 11 or 19 Saturdays (some for life), black or blue clothes, a mustard-oil lamp under the peepal tree at dusk, oil, sesame and urad at the Shani temple, the Shani stotra and the Hanuman Chalisa.

Shani is the god of justice — not of fear; the belief is that he is pleased by labour, truth, service and charity. Above are the upcoming Saturdays with month and paksha; below the vidhi, samagri, katha (King Vikramaditya), offering, donations, regional customs and FAQs. The Saturday Hanuman worship is also described on the Tuesday page.

Significance — why this vrat

Shani: son of the Sun and Chhaya, giver of the fruit of karma, significator of patience, labour, service, justice, longevity and sorrow; black and blue, iron, oil, sesame, urad, blankets and blue sapphire are his. Saturn's aspect and transit (Sade Sati, Dhaiya) bring tests into life — yet the texts say Shani is impartial and raises those who do good.

Sade Sati: Saturn's transit through the 12th, 1st and 2nd houses from the Moon sign (about seven and a half years) — three phases; Dhaiya: Saturn in the 4th or 8th from the Moon (two and a half years). In these periods the Saturday vrat, oil donation, the Shani stotra, service to Hanuman and help to labourers, servants and the poor are the remedies; check your own Sade Sati status from the birth chart.

Hanuman and the peepal: Shani promised Hanuman that he would not trouble his devotees — hence the Hanuman Chalisa or Sundarkand on Saturday; Vishnu dwells in the peepal and Shani loves it — a mustard-oil lamp and water at the peepal on Saturday evening, with circumambulation, is the most common Saturn remedy.

Shani temples and Shanishchari Amavasya: Shingnapur (Maharashtra), Kokilavan (Mathura), Tirunallar (Tamil Nadu), Shani Dham in Delhi; an Amavasya falling on Saturday is 'Shanishchari Amavasya' — special oil abhishek and sesame donation.

Puja vidhi (step by step)

The household vidhi of the Saturday vrat — begin on a Saturday of a Shukla Paksha (or a Shanishchari Amavasya/Shravana), 7/11/19 Saturdays; puja at home in the morning, the peepal or Shani temple in the evening.

1. Morning: bathe (black sesame in the water), wear black, blue or dark clothes; a black cloth at the puja place, a picture of Shani Dev or an iron/black-stone image (or the Shani yantra); a picture of Hanuman alongside.
2. Sankalp: 'I (name) will keep the vrat of Shani Dev for 7/11/19 Saturdays for (relief in Sade Sati / freedom from illness and debt / success in work); one meal, and donation of oil and sesame' — release the water.
3. Worship: a mustard-oil lamp (in an iron or clay lamp), black sesame, urad, a black cloth, blue or dark flowers (blue aparajita; any dark flower if not available), an iron nail or ring, black gram; an oil tilak on the picture (oil abhishek if an image); 'Om Sham Shanaishcharaya Namah' 108 times or 'Om Pram Prim Praum Sah Shanaishcharaya Namah'; the Shani stotra (by Dasharatha) or the Shani Chalisa.
4. Hanuman: the Hanuman Chalisa (1/7/11 times), Sundarkand if possible, 'Om Ham Hanumate Namah'; sindoor and jasmine oil, jaggery-gram and boondi laddoo for Hanuman.
5. Through the day: one meal — black-urad khichdi or dal, black-sesame-jaggery laddoos, something cooked in mustard oil (some homes), or fruit; silence and restraint, no harshness to any servant, labourer or poor person, a resolve to give.
6. Evening (sunset — pradosh): a mustard-oil lamp (with black sesame) under the peepal, water offered (milk-water in some customs), 7 circumambulations, a prayer for Shani's peace; at the Shani temple oil (from an iron vessel), black sesame, urad, black cloth, iron, a blanket, umbrella or shoes (to the needy); bow before the image standing to one side (the custom of not meeting Shani's gaze directly — look at the feet).
7. Donation (the life of the vrat): mustard oil, black sesame, urad, a black blanket or cloth, iron, footwear, an umbrella, bread to a black cow, dogs and crows, food or money to labourers, sweepers and servants — on Saturday; for Saturn's peace 'labour and service' is the truest gift.
8. Udyapan (7th/11th/19th Saturday): Shani-Hanuman puja, donation of oil, sesame, urad, blanket and iron, a meal for the poor or labourers, recitation of the Shani stotra or Chalisa, a lamp and cloth at the peepal; dakshina to a Brahmin or the needy; a sesame havan (with a pandit) after checking Saturn in the chart, optionally.

Puja samagri checklist

Mustard oil, black sesame, urad, iron, black cloth — Shani's simple list; the donation items are the real worship.

• Picture of Shani Dev / iron or black-stone image / Shani yantra, Hanuman picture, black-blue cloth, chauki
• Mustard oil (puja, lamp, abhishek, donation), an iron or clay lamp, black sesame, whole urad, black gram, an iron nail or ring
• Black or blue cloth, blue-dark flowers (aparajita), guggul incense, camphor, akshat mixed with black sesame, roli (sindoor for Hanuman)
• Offering: urad-dal khichdi, black-sesame-jaggery laddoos, sesame revdi, imarti (Hanuman), jaggery-gram, banana
• Recitations: Shani stotra (by Dasharatha), Shani Chalisa, Hanuman Chalisa, Sundarkand; a Shani mantra mala (black hakik or iron — on a pandit's advice)
• Donation: mustard oil (in an iron or clay vessel), black sesame, urad, a black blanket, black cloth, an iron object, footwear, an umbrella, coal (some customs), bread for dogs, crows and a black cow
• Peepal puja: mustard-oil lamp, black sesame, water (with milk in some customs), raw thread; an iron vessel for the Shani temple
• Udyapan: Shani-Hanuman puja items, dakshina for a Brahmin or the needy, a meal for labourers, sesame havan items (optional)

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Vrat katha (the story)

The katha of King Vikramaditya and Shani: once in the court of Vikramaditya of Ujjain a debate arose on which of the nine planets is the greatest; the pandits praised all but Shani — and the king too called Shani cruel and small. Shani was offended — 'Vikram, you do not know my power; you will see when I come to your sign (Sade Sati).' The time came — Shani arrived as a horse-trader; the king bought a fine horse, and the moment he mounted, it carried him into a dense forest and vanished. Hungry and thirsty, the king wandered; a merchant sheltered him — but in that very house a painted peg on the wall seemed to swallow a gold necklace, the king was branded a thief, and his hands and feet were cut off.

An oil-presser took pity and set him at the oil-mill — the crippled king drove the oxen and at night sang Megh Malhar; the princess of that city was enchanted by the song and insisted on marrying the crippled servant. Seven and a half years passed — Shani Dev appeared in a dream: 'Vikram, this was the fruit of my insult; your test is now over.' The king begged forgiveness and prayed — 'the suffering you gave me, give to no one else.' Shani said — 'Whoever keeps my vrat on Saturday, donates oil, sesame and urad, lights a lamp at the peepal and hears my katha — him I will not trouble.' The king's hands and feet returned, the peg gave up the necklace, the truth came out, and Vikramaditya returned to Ujjain with the princess; everyone took up the Saturday vrat. The lesson — Shani spares no one, but faith, charity and service make the suffering bearable; mock no planet and no person.

A second katha (Pippalada and Hanuman's promise): the sage Pippalada raised the Brahma-danda against Shani to avenge his father's death — Shani was lamed; at Brahma's word he promised not to trouble children under sixteen or the devotees of Pippalada (the peepal) — hence the peepal worship; and after losing to Hanuman in Lanka, Shani promised not to trouble Hanuman's devotees — hence the Hanuman Chalisa on Saturday.

Urad khichdi, sesame-jaggery, mustard oil; one plain meal

Shani loves black urad, black sesame, jaggery and mustard oil — in the offering and in the donation alike. The vrat meal is once a day: urad khichdi or dal, sesame-jaggery laddoos, a vegetable cooked in mustard oil (some homes), or fruit; no garlic, onion, meat or alcohol; in some customs the meal comes after the peepal lamp in the evening.

• Offering: urad-dal khichdi (black urad, rice, little turmeric, ghee), black-sesame-jaggery laddoos, sesame revdi and gajak, jaggery; imarti or boondi laddoo and jaggery-gram for Hanuman
• Vrat plate: urad khichdi or urad dal with roti, potato or brinjal cooked in mustard oil (some homes), sesame-jaggery, curd (allowed — the Shani vrat has no rule against sour food)
• Fruit meal: banana, apple, milk, sesame laddoo, peanuts and jaggery; black raisins in some homes
• Donation meal: a full meal (dal, roti, vegetable, khichdi) to labourers, sweepers and the needy; oil-smeared bread for dogs, crows and a black cow
• Avoided: meat, alcohol, garlic, onion; buying oil, iron, black cloth or salt on Saturday (folk belief — donate, don't buy; opinions differ), travel southwards in some customs

Regional customs

Saturday is Shani's across India — the peepal lamp, oil donation and Hanuman Chalisa everywhere; the temples and details differ by region.

Do's and don'ts

Frequently asked questions

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Also read: Amavasya (Shanishchari Amavasya) · Tuesday vrat (Hanuman) · Hanuman Jayanti · Monday vrat · Thursday vrat

⚠️ This description follows traditional practice and folk belief (the Shani katha); the custom of your own family and region comes first. Sade Sati, Shani dosha and blue sapphire are astrological beliefs — do not wear a gem without a chart check and a pandit's advice; avoid fear-based rituals and fraud; do not fast when unwell.

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