According to the Hindu calendar, Saawan started today - July 14, 2022 and will end on August 12. Lord Shiva is worshipped in the entire month of Saawan. In some parts of north India, Saawan is also known as Shrawan.
Starting on the first Monday of the Saawan month, devotees fast for 16 consecutive Mondays while refraining from eating anything that isn't vegetarian. On Tuesdays throughout the Saawan month, devotees conduct the Mangal Gauri Vrat in honor of the goddess Parvati.
Saawan 2022: Auspicious Dates: Saawan month start date - July 14 (Thursday)
First Saawan Somwar Fast - July 18 (Monday)
Saawan month end date - August 12 (Friday)
Saawan 2022: History and Significance
According to the legends, Lord Shiva did this to preserve the world by swallowing poison from the ocean. As a result, people pray to Lord Shiva throughout the Saawan month to get his blessings and to keep the earth safe from all evil. For Kanwar Yatra, many devotees march on foot during this month. They bring water from renowned rivers back to their cities and offer it to Shiva temples there. Throughout the pilgrimage, the devotees are supposed to carry the Kanwar on their shoulders.
Saawan 2022: Fasting Rituals
The majority of people quit non-vegetarian food for the entire month, and many of them fast on Mondays (Saawan Somwar) beginning on the first Monday and continuing for a total of 16 Mondays (Solah Somwar ka vrat). Some of them decide to maintain the falahari vrat, while others choose to consume sattvik foods.
Falahari Diet:
People who are on a falahari fast refrain from eating cereal grains from their diet and consume milk, milk products, nuts, seeds, and fruits. Some people complement their falahari diet with potatoes. Potatoes can be prepared using the sendha namak for fasting. Also preferred are beverages including fruit juice, coconut water, and chaas.
Sattvik Diet:
Gluten-free millets and flours like amaranth, kuttu ka atta, samak rice, and singhara flour are used in place of whole grains. To flavor the food, sendha namak is used instead of normal salt. Popular meals during sattvik fasting include:
-
Kuttu Ki Poori, tikki or cheela
-
Makhane ki kheer or roasted makhanas
-
Samak ke chawal paired with vrat wale aloo or samak chawal ki khichdi or samak chawal ki kheer
-
Sabudana khichdi or sabudana kheer
-
Singhara atta ki barfi or samosa
