Sawan 2023: Dos and Don'ts for devotees during 'Shravan'

In the Hindu calendar Sawan also known as Shravan is the fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar is one of the holiest months of the yearEvery Monday during this period is regarded as a highly auspicious time to fast and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva Here are some dos and donts that one should keep in mind while fastingHere are some of the Dos for the period1 After rising early in the morning devotees should bathe and clean their Puja rooms After sprinkling some Ganga Jal After that they should gather the items for puja such as water milk sugar ghee curd honey janeu sacred thread sandalwood flowers bel leaves clove cardamom sweets etc and chant Shiv mantras2 Devotees who undertake fast can break their fasts and have the vrat meal in the eveningNow lets have a look at what should not be done during the fasts1 Devotees who keep the fast must abstain from eating garlic and onions2 It is considered sinful to consume alcohol during the Sawan period3 It is also not advisable to consume nonvegetarian items including dairy fish and eggs during this period as they represent the death of living things Using turmeric and tulsi leaves during Lord Shiva worship is also not recommendedTo obtain the blessings of Lord Shiva and Parvati people keep Sawan Somwar fastsAdditionally Kanwar Yatra is a significant ritual during this period People gather water from sacred rivers for this rite and place it in little mud pots known as Kanwars Devotees don saffroncoloured clothes while carrying the holy water and walk on foot to visit temples dedicated to Lord Shiva Devotees who are termed Kanwariyas visit places like Haridwar Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the holy water of River Ganga and then worship the God with that waterSawan is the fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar This auspicious month is dedicated to the worship of Lord ShivaThis year the Shravan period stretches for two months instead of the usual onemonth long period Previously an almost twomonthlong Shravan period was observed approximately 19 years agoJuly 10 marks the first fasting Monday of the period this year while August 28 marks the last Monday fast of the periodAccording to the Hindu Calendar an extra month is added every three years when the Sun changes its zodiac sign or transits from one zodiac to another This transit is also known as SankrantiAs a result there are 12 Sankranti in a solar year and the month with no Sankranti is termed as Malmas or Adhikmas Typically no auspicious or new tasks or rituals are performed during this month Malmas will begin on July 18 2023 and end on August 16 2023 this yearThis year Sawan will last for 58 days from July 4 to August 31Also Read How these women are building The Hobbit House with earthfriendly techniquesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever