As thousands of Devotees flocked to Shiva shrines from the wee hours of the morning to offer prayers and ask for Lord Shiva’s blessings, people all around the country joyfully welcomed the lucky month of Sawan with great devotion.

The fifth month of the Hindu calendar, Sawan (also known as Shravan), is exclusively dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. The holy month is regarded as one of Hinduism’s holiest times and coincides with the monsoon season, which runs from July to August.

Millions of devotees around the nation observe it by fasting, offering specific prayers, visiting temples, and going on pilgrimages.

Since daybreak, a multitude of pilgrims have been sighted visiting Shiva temples, where they have offered prayers and conducted rites to signal the beginning of the holy month. People enthusiastically and faithfully participated in religious rituals, and several renowned temples saw lengthy lines of worshipers.

Sawan, according to Hindu mythology, is the month of Samudra Manthan, or the cosmic churning of the ocean. During the churning, a lethal toxin materialized, jeopardizing the universe’s survival.

Lord Shiva is said to have swallowed the venom to save creation, keeping it in his throat, which became blue and earned him the name ‘Neelkanth‘.

Additionally, religious convictions state that Goddess Parvati performed severe penance during the month of Sawan in order to marry Lord Shiva. Consequently, for followers seeking benefits for wealth, marital harmony, and spiritual well-being, the time is regarded as particularly important.

Devotees observe stringent fasts every Monday throughout the month as a sign of their devotion to Lord Shiva. These fasts are often referred to as “Somwar Vrat. ” These fasts are followed because it is thought that honest prayers made during Sawan promote peace, prosperity, and the granting of desires.

Kanwariyas make lengthy foot travels during the annual Kanwar Yatra, which is also held this month, to collect holy water from the Ganga and offer it on Shivlings at temples devoted to Lord Shiva.

To do the traditional ‘abhishek‘ of the Shivling with milk, honey, curd, ghee, water, and sacred Bael leaves, which are particularly important in Shiva worship, followers also frequent Shiva shrines during Month of Sawan.

Throughout the sacred month, a lot of worshippers practice rigorous religious discipline, including vegetarianism and avoidance of non-vegetarian food, as part of their spiritual practices.