The auspicious month of Sawan 2023 commenced on July 4, and the entire month is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. While Mondays of this month are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Tuesdays are dedicated to the Goddess Parvati. During this month, devotees fast on various days of the week to show their love and respect for the Gods. Read this to know why Sawan month is celebrated, Sawan Ke Somvar Vrat Katha, and all you need to know about Sawan month.
Sawan 2023
According to the Hindu calendar, Sawan Month will continue till August 31. After a span of 19 long years, this time Sawan Month will be two months instead of the usual one month. This month heralds monsoon and the rain is looked at as a symbol of renewal and Lord Shiva’s blessings. There are eight Mondays and eight Tuesdays this time to show your love and respect to the Lord and the Goddess.
Why Sawan Month is Celebrated – History And Significance
There is always a lot of curiosity about why Sawan Month is celebrated. The story takes us back in time to the Samudra Manthan when Lord Shiva drank the poison during the churning of Amrit (nectar). Though it saved the world, the Lord’s body slowly turned blue because of the effect of the poison. Lord Shiva’s consort, Goddess Parvati entered his throat thinking she can save him by not letting the poison spread to the rest of his body. It is after this; Lord Shiva came to be known as Neelkanth. This is the reason why Sawan Month is celebrated and why this month holds so much significance to the Hindus.
Devotees of Lord Shiva celebrate this month with a lot of fervour. Many of them give up on eating non-vegetarian food and fast on Mondays. Fasting on Mondays during Sawan Month is highly auspicious, and it is called the Sawan Somwar.
Devotees also bring Ganga Jal (water) to heal the Lord from the wounds and thank him for saving the world. They go on ‘Kanwar Yatra’ where they bring water from the holy rivers and offer it to the nearby Shivalingas. Belief is that the holy water should not be kept down unless it has been offered to the Lord. Devotees of the Lord think keeping the Vrats (fasting) is a good way to get the Lord’s blessings for their lives to be filled with prosperity, happiness, good health, marriage, and success.
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Sawan Ke Somvar Vrat Katha
All Mondays and Tuesdays of Shravan Month are auspicious. Many devotees of the Lord observe fasting from the first Monday of the Sawan Month, and they fast on all the Mondays of the Shravan Month. There is a story associated with this Monday’s fasting, and the Sawan ke Somvar Vrat Katha goes like this:
Once upon a time, there lived a moneylender who had all the material comforts of the world. One thing he and his wife lacked was a child and that pained him a lot. He, being a great devotee of Lord Shiva, always went to Shiva Temple every Monday. Goddess Parvati one day requested the Lord to bless the moneylender with a child after hearing his prayers and seeing his devotion.
The Lord blessed him with a baby boy but there was one condition. He said the boy will only live for 12 years of age. Though the moneylender knew about the condition, his devotion to the Lord never ceased. When the boy turned 11, he was sent to his maternal uncle’s home in Kashi to complete his education. The moneylender asked the boy’s uncle to offer pooja to Lord Shiva.
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One day the boy fell ill, by then he was already 12 years of age, and he died. It was at that time the Lord and Goddess were passing through their home. They saw everyone crying, and because of the devotion of the moneylender and the good work of the maternal uncle, the Lord decided to give the boy life again. This is the Sawan ke Somvar vrat Katha which shows the immense blessings of Lord Shiva. Likewise, praying to Lord Shiva and fasting on Mondays have become a way of life with the Lord’s followers and devotees.
Shravan Vrat – Days And Dates
Shravan vrat’s days and dates are as follows:
- July 10 – First Somvar Fasting Day
- July 17 – Second Somvar Fasting Day
- July 24 – Third Somvar Fasting Day
- July 31 – Fourth Somvar Fasting Day
- August 7- Fifth Somvar Fasting Day
- August 14 – Sixth Somvar Fasting Day
- August 21 – Seventh Somvar Fasting Day
- August 28 – Eighth Somvar Fasting Day
This is why Sawan Month is celebrated and the above story is why Sawan ke Somvar Vrat Katha is important.
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