With the onset of monsoons and initial downpour, nature comes to life with its lush green carpets and cool climate, to welcome the most amazing month in our culture called Shraavan.
I experienced the real meaning of Shraavan only after my wedding! Days of the week in this month are special… it marks the beginning of all auspicious ceremonies like Poojas & Vatras
Mondays are sharaavan somvaars where one fasts in the devotion of Lord Shiva. There is something called Shivamuth that newly married women have to offer to God. So every Monday its either rice, wheat, til, moong that ladies offer for first five years of married life. It is said to bring long life to their husbands and harmony in their married life.
Also, this is the beginning of Sola Somvaar vrat which is supposed to be the harshest of the vrats ever. People fast for 16 Mondays and on the last Monday they have to undertake an elaborate Pooja to commemorate the successful completion of this vrat…all for obtaining family harmony J
Tuesdays are the most amazing part of Shraavan…with the most vibrant of the vrats that it brings – The vrat of ‘Manglagaur’! Like all other vrats, a newly married bride performs this puja on a tuesday morning alongwith many of her counterparts called ‘vashelis’ (other married women)..Together they adorn and decorate the gauri (Goddess Parvathi) with loads of patri (assorted leaves) and handmade ornaments made out of flour. The elaborate Pooja comes to an end after which sumptuous lunch awaits the vashelis…but with a tag attached…’speak no word as you eat’! This ensures loads of giggles and twinkling eyes filled with excitement.
The evenings are very special as well…Women adorn themselves in bright navaari saris and authentic maharashtrian jewelry like nath, baju bandh etc and come together to play number of games that have a great physical challenge! For every game there are numerous songs all revolving around the praises for the wonderful season. The games all present the simple lifestyle of women in konkan villages like drawing water from the well, grating vegetables ,playing under the mango trees, little arguments with mother in law etc. It is a wonderful form of dance and taking your body to the limits of exertion through almost acrobatic movements like gathoda…where you entangle your limbs into a sphere shape and roll over and over and all that in a nine yards saree!!!
Fridays is the Jivati devi vrat where women worship the Goddess who bears children for the safety and wellbeing of their own children. The deity is offered puran as neveidya and an Aukshan (Aarati made of diyas of puran) is performed for all the children in the home.
Since my wedding 5 years ago, this month has always brought excitement in my life and I completely enjoy the feeling of being a miniscule part of the life my forefathers and mothers led and relished!
I hope my children and grandchildren too; will continue to find excitement in our little traditional ways of life..
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