Shravana masa starts tomorrow

[n sridhar]

I would like to add some more information on Shravana
masa. As already intimated by Shri Jaldharji, this
month is dear to Shiv Bhagwan. I had the opportunity
of travelling to Haridwar during Shravana Masa. In the
northern states, during the month of Shravana,
devotees trek all the way to Haridwar and collect the
holy water of Ganges in pots and carry it on their
shoulder back to their villages for abhisheka of Lord
Shiva. They are called as "Kavadia" and this is a
sankalpa that they make. During this sankalpa, they
observe strict discipline. They walk on foot
travelling long distances (even upto 300/400 kms) and
fetch the ganga water and carry it on their shoulders.
They are not supposed to keep the pot of holy water on
the ground. It is a tremendous sight to see thousands
of devotees walking all the way. Most of roads near
Haridwar are blocked for traffic and reserved
exclusively for these Kavadias. Lot of philanthroists
put up shelters on the way to provide for food, water
and resting places for these devotees. Due to
modernisation, there are now mobile Kavadias which are
basically some vans on which persons travel long
distances. Such persons keep a sankalpa of bringing
the holy water within 2/3 days and race ahead to
fulfil their Sankalpa.

Apart from the above, Shravana Masa is the period
during which one undertakes the pilgrimage to the holy
cave of Amarnath. Here the Shiva Linga is made of ice
and it waxes and wanes from Purnima to Amavasya.

At the Sringeri Math, Sravana Masa is celebrated with
HH Jagadguru performing special Puja to the spatika
Linga (Lord Chandramouleeswara) in the noon on
Somavara (mondays). This is a special Puja performed
with Abhishekam done with a variety of items ranging
from Milk, Curd, Ghee, Honey, Fruits, Dry Fruits etc
with special vedic Mantras chanted. This Pooja is very
special and especially the mantras chanted are
specific for the various Abhisheka being performed. It
is a real treat to watch this Somavara Puja. I have
been fortunate enough to have darshan of the Somavara
Puja quite a number of times. This Puja is apart from
the regular Puja performed by HH Jagadguru during the
evening. Similar Pujas are carried out during Kartika
Somavara also. Since Shravana occurs during the
Chaturmasya Vrata, all the somavaras are spent at the
same location where HH Jagadguru observes the
Chaturmasya Vrata. All the other Poojas for special
festivals like Gokulashtami, etc are also performed by
HH Jagadguru. Some other Poojas performed for special
festivals during Chaturmasya include the Gowri Pooja,
Vinayaka Chaturthi, Vamana Jayanthi, Uma Maheswara
Vrata Pooja etc.

N. SRIDHAR



--- "Jaldhar H. Vyas" <jaldhar at braincells.com> wrote:
> For anyone waiting for an answer from me, I haven't
> forgotten but I am
> incredibly pressed for time right now.
>
> But I thought I'd write a quick note about the month
> of Shravana which
> begins tomorrow (Tuesday.)  It is a month of utsavas
> with such important
> days as Naga Panchami, Janmashtami, Raksha Bandhana
> (which is also the day
> Brahmanas change their Yajnopavitas) falling within
> it.
>
> Shravana is especially dear to Shiva Bhagawan and
> the Shivalayas
> are thronged with worshippers during this month.
> Bhaktas should do His
> abhisheka and puja every day if possible or at least
> every Monday.  A
> common custom is to make a parthiva linga or
> temporary linga made out of
> clay.  It is worshipped for all the days of Shravana
> and then the
> visarjana is done in a river.
>
> One should not shave or cut ones hair or nails
> during Shravana.  In my
> family the practice seems to have been just to do a
> regular tilaka of
> kumkum during most of the year but this month we
> make it a point to do the
> full tripundra.
>
> What other customs related to Shravana are there in
> other parts of the
> country?
>
> --
> Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
>
> --
> bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam
>
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