Thousands of devotees thronged Lord Shiva temples across the country on Monday to offer prayers and seek blessings on the first Monday (Sawan Somwar) of the holy month of Sawan, one of the most auspicious periods in the Hindu calendar dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Temples witnessed heavy footfall from the early hours of the day as devotees queued to perform jalabhishek and participate in special prayers and rituals. Mondays during Sawan are considered especially significant by devotees, who observe fasts and offer prayers seeking peace, prosperity, mental strength, and marital bliss.
This year’s Sawan began on July 30 and will conclude on August 28, with millions of devotees expected to visit Shiva temples and pilgrimage centres across the country during the month.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, thousands gathered at the ghats to take a holy dip in the Ganga before proceeding to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to perform jalabhishek. The temple was decorated with elaborate floral arrangements, and devotees participated in the Mangala Aarti before offering prayers.
“We attended the Mangala Aarti. We usually come on the Mondays of Sawan to seek Lord Shiva’s blessings. There are very long queues outside, but the arrangements inside the temple are very good. We had a very good darshan,” a devotee told IANS.
The Divisional Commissioner of Varanasi and the Chief Executive Officer of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple welcomed Kanwariyas and devotees by showering flower petals.
“The darshan was smooth, and the arrangements inside the temple were very good. Considering the large crowd, everything has been managed well. As in previous years, there is a huge turnout on the Mondays of Sawan, and this year too the crowd is very large,” another devotee said.
In Uttarakhand, large numbers of devotees visited the Daksha Mahadev Temple in Kankhal, Haridwar, where jalabhishek was performed amid Vedic chants. The ancient temple is traditionally believed to be the home of Lord Shiva’s in-laws and holds special religious significance during Sawan.
Explaining the importance of the month, a temple priest told IANS, “The month of Sawan holds special significance because it is believed that Lord Shiva resides here for this month and symbolically governs the universe from this temple. Since today is the first Monday of Sawan, devotees have been queuing since around 3 a.m. to offer jalabhishek and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.”
“It is believed that Lord Shiva stays at his in-laws’ home here for the entire month of Sawan. Whoever comes here to offer prayers has their wishes fulfilled,” a devotee said.
Another devotee added, “This temple holds special significance because it is believed to be Lord Shiva’s in-laws’ home, where he resides throughout the month of Shravan and fulfils the wishes of devotees.”
Meanwhile, thousands of devotees also gathered at the Baba Baidyanath Temple to offer prayers on the first Monday of Sawan.
“There is a huge crowd on the first Monday of Sawan. The Baba Baidyanath Temple is packed with devotees,” a temple priest told IANS.
Devotees appreciated the arrangements made by the authorities despite the large turnout.
“The arrangements are very good despite the huge crowd. I am very happy to offer prayers at Baba Baidyanath Temple. This is my first time here, and I will surely visit next year too,” a devotee said.
Another devotee praised the administration’s efforts, saying, “There were a few areas where crowd management could be improved, but overall, the experience was much better than in previous years. The administration has done good work. We are happy to visit Baba Baidyanath Temple and offer our prayers to Lord Shiva.”
(With inputs from IANS)
