🌿 How Women Celebrate Sawan: Rituals, Mehendi & Folk Songs 🎶

The holy month of Sawan (also known as Shravan) is not just a spiritual period of devotion to Lord Shiva, but also a time when women across India immerse themselves in beautiful rituals, traditions, and joyful expressions of faith. 💫 From fasting to folk music, from vibrant mehendi to community gatherings, the month of Sawan is a deeply enriching cultural journey — especially for women. 💃

🌸 Importance of Sawan for Women

Sawan holds special significance for women due to its strong association with Goddess Parvati’s devotion to Lord Shiva. Married and unmarried women both participate actively in this month’s rituals to seek blessings for a happy, prosperous, and love-filled life. 💞

• 🙏 Married women fast for the long life and health of their husbands (Suhaag ki raksha).
• 👰 Unmarried girls fast to get a loving and caring life partner, just like Lord Shiva.

🥗 Fasting Rituals Followed by Women

Women often observe the **Sawan Somvar Vrat** (Monday fasts), which are considered highly auspicious. Some also fast on Tuesdays (Mangala Gauri Vrat), especially in Maharashtra and parts of South India.

🍽️ What Do They Eat?

• Fruits 🍌🍎
• Sabudana khichdi 🍲
• Kuttu ke atte ki puri 🍞
• Milk, curd, and dry fruits 🥛🥜

🚫 What Do They Avoid?

• Salt or rock salt only 🧂
• No onion, garlic, or non-vegetarian food ❌
• No alcohol or processed foods

🎨 Mehendi – A Creative Celebration

 

During Sawan, applying mehendi (henna) is considered extremely auspicious. Women and girls gather together, sing traditional songs, and decorate their hands with beautiful green mehendi patterns. 💚

🌿 Symbolism of Mehendi in Sawan

• Represents prosperity and new beginnings 🌱
• Brings positive energy and divine blessings
• Green is the symbolic color of nature and fertility

In fact, many towns and cities host **Mehendi competitions** or “Sawan Mehendi Nights” where women showcase their artistic talents. 🌼🎨

🎶 Folk Songs and Community Celebrations

 

Music plays a big role in Sawan. Women form small groups, often in courtyards or temple grounds, and sing **traditional Sawan folk songs**. These songs celebrate nature, love, longing, and devotion to Lord Shiva and Parvati. 🎵

Some popular songs include:

• “Kaise Khelein Sawan Mein Kajariya”
• “Bole Bam Bam Bhole”
• “Piya Milan Ki Aas”

🪕 Instruments Used

• Dholak 🪘
• Manjira 🎼
• Khartal

This is a time of bonding, especially in rural areas and joint families, where women come together and create joyful memories. 🤗

🛕 Visits to Shiva Temples

 

Women often visit ancient temples and offer **belpatra**, milk, water, and fruits to Lord Shiva. The atmosphere is filled with chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and the blowing of conch shells. 🔔

Notable Temples Visited by Women in Sawan:

• Kashi Vishwanath Temple – Varanasi
• Somnath Temple – Gujarat
• Kedarnath – Uttarakhand
• Trimbakeshwar – Maharashtra

💡 Other Unique Traditions

• 🌿 Women make **clay Shivlings** at home and worship them.
• 👗 Wear green sarees or suits — symbolic of nature and fertility.
• 🧵 Tie protective red-yellow threads on each other’s wrists.
• 🎁 Exchange gifts like bangles, bindis, or sarees with neighbors and friends.

👩‍👧 Passing on Traditions

Sawan is also a beautiful time for mothers and grandmothers to teach younger girls about traditions, stories from Puranas, and the power of faith. These rituals help pass down not just religion, but love, strength, and resilience. ❤️

🧘 The Inner Devotion

While the external celebrations are colorful and full of joy, Sawan is also a time for inner purification. Women often spend time in prayer, chanting, meditation, and reading Shiv Puran or Parvati Katha. 📿

📝 Final Thoughts

Sawan is not just a month on the calendar. It’s a spiritual journey that Indian women walk every year — with devotion in their hearts, color on their hands, and prayers on their lips. From folk songs to fasts, from Shiva’s temple bells to giggles over mehendi, this holy month reflects the divine feminine energy that sustains tradition and love. 🌸🕉️

Har Har Mahadev! 🙏

🏷️ Tags:

#SawanCelebration #MehendiDesigns #WomenFasting #SawanFolkSongs #SawanSomvar #LordShiva #IndianTraditions #PunyaPaths

[tp_widget][/tp_widget]