Sawan Begins - The Rainfall of Holiness

Get yourself soaked in the holy month of Sawan which symbolises monsoon. In this month people offer their prayers and gratitude to the divine and also rejoice the festivals which brings auspiciousness with them.

Sawan denotes the month of monsoon. In this month, it’s not just the clouds which rains, but it is also the rain of festivals, holiness, devotion, wishes and happiness.

This year i.e. in 2014, Sawan will begin from July 13, and will go on till August 10. This auspicious time period is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is known as the best time to seek the blessings of the Lord.

Sawan 2014: Devotion For Lord Shiva

The month of Sawan is devoted to Lord Shiva, the supreme power of this universe. To fetch the maximum from this pious month, people engage in performing Yagnas, Rudra Pujas, and Hawans. Though this auspicious month is celebrated throughout the country, its real celebrations are seen in North India. With great zeal and enthusiasm, people of North India leave no stone unturned to show their devotion toward Shiva.

Sawan 2014: The Mythological Relevance Of Sawan

According to Hindu mythology, the Samudra Manthan took place in the month of Sawan, in which the gods and the demons were involved. As per the legends, Lord Shiva acted as a savior and swallowed the poison which came out of the ocean. By this act, Shiva saved the earth otherwise that poison could have wiped off the nature by destroying the earth.

Sawan 2014: Divinity of Sawan Somvar

As per the beliefs, each Monday of Sawan month is extremely sacred and is popularly known as ‘Sawan Somvar’. On each Monday, devotees visit Lord Shiva temples, offer prayers and worship Shiva Lingam. It is said that offering Bael leaves to the deity, yields highly auspicious results. Other than this, milk, flowers, and fruits are also offered to the Lord. Huge crowd is seen in temples and Shiva Mantra, Shiv Chalisa, and Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra are chanted. Observing Sawan Somvar is very fruitful and therefore, people keep fast on each Somwar (Monday) of Sawan month.

Not only Monday, but each day of Sawan has its own significance. Sawan symbolizes the coming together of the divine forces. Like Mondays are for Lord Shiva and for Moon,; similarly, Tuesdays are dedicated to Goddess Durga and for Mars, Wednesdays to Lord Ganesha and for Mercury, Thursdays to Lord Vishnu and for Jupiter, Fridays to Goddess Lakshmi and for Venus, Saturdays to Yam or Mahakaal and for Saturn, and Sundays to Lord Surya. Devotees fasts accordingly to please the Gods and Goddesses with a belief of getting their wishes fulfilled.

Sawan 2014: Important Festivals And Dates Of This Month

Sawan or Shrawan month is considered sacred, as the month is full of festivals and special days. These festivals are celebrated with a lot of faith and enthusiasm by the devotees who spend the day performing rituals like fasting and offering prayers. Below is the list of festivals and auspicious days of this month:

Festivals	Dates
Ganesh Chaturthi	July 15, 2014
Dakshiyana Sankranti	July 16, 2014
Kamika Ekadashi	July 22, 2014
Shravan Pradosh Vrat	July 24, 2014
Shravan Amavasya	July 26, 2014
Hariyali Teej	July 30, 2014
Nag Panchami	August 1, 2014
Shravana Putrada Ekadashi	August 7, 2014
Varalakshmi Vrat	August 8, 2014
Narali Purnima , Raksha Bandhan	August 10, 2014

People also go to pilgrimages like Haridwar for the holy bath in the river Ganga during this month. There are celebrations in various known temples such as Somnath Temple, Kashi Vishwanath temple, where people in huge number visit to honour Lord Shiva.

We hope that the information provided in this article will help you in perform all the rituals religiously. We wish that Sawan brings a lot of contentment and auspiciousness into your life.

Read our featured articles on Sawan by visiting the below mentioned links:

Sawan 2014
Sawan, The Month Of Love & Ecstasy
Importance of Sawan