Shravan Vrat is a Hindu Ritual observed in the month of
Shravan.
The whole lunar month of Shravan (July–August), which is
devoted to the deity Shiva, is marked with religious vows (vrats).
Devotees (bhakta) will undertake different acts of
adoration, abstinence, and devotion throughout this month, albeit the
strictness of this observance is primarily dependent on individual desire.
On the first Monday of Shravan, some believers take a pledge
to worship Shiva (Monday is the day of the week over which he presides).
During the day, the devout would fast (upavasa), worship
Shiva and his "family" (Ganesh, Parvati, and Nandi), and sometimes
remain up late at night recounting Shiva's epic exploits.
During this month, some followers would abstain from cutting
their hair or shaving their beards in honor of Shiva's principal identity as
the great ascetic.
The festival of kanvars, which takes place in Shravan,
involves worshippers drawing pots of water from the Ganges, suspending them on
a bam boo pole (kanvar), and carrying them to a Shiva temple, where they are
dedicated to Shiva.
This tradition is practiced in many areas across northern
India, but the most notable is in Deoghar, Bihar, where Shiva is worshipped as
Vaidyanath ("Lord of Physicians"), and the image of Vaidyanath is one
of the twelve jyotirlingas (images considered especially sacred).
Pilgrims walking to Deoghar collect their water from the
Ganges at Sultanganj and then travel almost sixty kilometers to Deoghar to
donate the water.
This obser vance mixes devotion to God with a willingness to
accept adversity, and it is often practiced to fulfill a pledge made while
requesting heavenly favor.
Solah Somvar Vrat is another option.
