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Shravan
the most holiest Month
Shravan
(श्रावण) is the fifth month of the Hindu calendar, beginning with
Chaitra. It is the holiest month of the Hindu calendar year, full of festivals and ceremonies.
This year Shravan month begins on July 16, 2011 ( Shrvan Krishna 1)
and ends on August 13, 2011 (Shravan Shukla 15 or Purnima). Shravan
month is mainly is dedicated to Lord
Shiva (शिव)
Shravan is the month of festivals
The Shravan month is full of festivals and special days: Naga
Panchami, Kalkayavatara, Putradaikadashi, Hindola, Narali Purnima, Shravani
Purnima, Raksha Bandhan, Vara Lakshmi Vrata, Sitala Saptami,
Krishna Janmasthmi , Ajaikadasi and Teej. During Shravan, married women visit
their parents' home, celebrate Teej there and return to their homes in
time for Raksha Bandhan. The break gives them respite from their daily household chores.
Teej is a green festival that celebrates the rain. Women and girls dress up in traditional clothes and decorate their
hands with mehendi or henna. Playing on the swing outdoors is a common
activity in this month. Special sweetmeats like ghevar and churma are prepared and eaten.
There are three types of Teej. In Hariyali Teej, women wear green
clothes and offer prayers to the moon and to Radha and Krishna. Then
comes Kajari Teej which is celebrated in the Krishna Paksha or dark half
of the month. Women sing devotional songs and gather near a Neem tree
and offer prayers. Hartalika Teej is celebrated over three days. On the
second day, women keep a nirjal or no-water fast, praying for the long life and prosperity of their spouses.
Naag-Panchami which falls on the fifth day of Shravan and is held in honour of Nagas
or snakes. Gujurattis this day denotes the return of Krishnafrom the Yamuna after overcoming the snake Kaliya. Krishna's
herdsmen celebrated the Naga panchmi day by treating Kaliya with milk as
a gratitude for not harming their beloved Krishna. There is much
folklore in connection with snake cult.
Rishi Panchmi (this year on September 2, 2011) observed on
the day of Shravan full moon, stars other than the
planets are worshipped. In Vedic times it was believed that the spirits
of certain departed great sages of the earth were believed to inhabit
certain stars, the most famous being the constellation Ursa Major i.e.the seven brightest stars of the north (The Great Bear).
Later, the seers became identified with the stars they inhabited. The seven
worshipped on Rishi Fifth are - Kasyapa, Atri, Bharadvaja,
Visvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Vashishta.
Each day
of Shravan is special
Monday, also called Shravani Somvar, is dedicated to
Lord Shiva. A dharanatra or container with a tiny hole in its base and filled with water or milk
is hung over the shivalingam, the liquid dripping over the deity as offering.
Bel, or wood apple leaves and flowers are offered while chanting the Shiva mantra. Devotees fast until sunset.
Performing this ritual is equivalent to invoking Neelakantha the whole
year round. Unmarried girls who perform this are believed to find a suitable spouse soon.
Tuesdays are dedicated to the goddess Gauri. Goddess Gauri is invoked for the family's good health.
Wednesdays are dedicated to Vitthal or Lord Vishnu विष्णु);
Thursdays are reserved for the Buddha
and Guru.
Fridays are dedicated to worship Goddess
Laxmi (लक्ष्मी) and Tulsi. The entire month is dedicated to Vishnu and Lakshmi
. Saturdays are dedicated to Shani
Deva (शनि)
or Saturn; the day is also known as Sampat Shanivar or day of wealth.
Sundays are reserved for thanking the Lord Sun (सूर्य).
Rituals
During Shravan month devotees chant the Shiv Chalisa and the Maha Mrityunjaya
Mantra, wear rudraksha, fast every Monday and make offerings of panchamrit made of milk, yoghurt, ghee or butter, honey and jaggery to
the shivalingam. The prasadam is distributed to all. The fast is broken in the evening with vegetarian food.
Hindu mythology
According to Hindu mythology the samudra manthan or churning of the
ocean took place in this month and 14 types of gems and treasures emerged from it. These were distributed between the gods and demons.
Shiva drank the 14th, Halahal or poison, and stored it in his throat. That's why he is called
Neelakantha, the blue-throated god. To negate the poison, Shiva wore the crescent moon on his head and the pantheon of Hindu gods
started offering Ganga water to Shiva. Devotees of Shiva commemorate this incident by offering
Ganga water to shivalingams in temples.
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