New Delhi: Monday (July 6) is a very special day for all the devotees of Lord Shiva. According to the Hindu calendar followed by the people in north India, today is the first Somwar (Monday) of the highly auspicious Shravan month. In the month of Shravan, devotees observe fast, pray to Lord Shiva, take part in charitable activities and remain devoted to the divine.


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Many people seek blessings of the lord by visiting a temple and keeping fast during the Shravan Somvar. 


Mondays, for a month, are specifically are dedicated to Lord Shiva. Devotees observe fast and visit temples to offer milk, water, and bilva leaves to the almighty. A number of devotees (both married and unmarried women) initiate their 16 Somvar vrat on the first Monday of the Shravan month.


If you wish to make this Somwar special, then you may do the following:


After taking bath, visit a Shiva temple to offer water/milk and Bilva leaves to the Linga. If you don’t have a temple nearby, offer water or milk to the deity in your house. Visiting a temple is recommended. However, this time, due to the coronavirus scare, it is better to stay at home and offer prayers.  


Chant the Shiva Moola Mantra - Om Namah Shivaya. The meaning of this mantra is: I bow to you O Supreme Lord, the one who exists in my consciousness. 


Besides chanting the Shiva Moola mantra, you can also chant the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra and the Rudra Gayatri Mantra. 


Offer food to the poor and the needy and aspire to lead a simple life like Shiva.


Here are the important dates dedicated to Lord Shiva in the month of Shravan. 


According to Drikpanchang, the significant dates in the month of Shravan 2020 in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand are as follows:


July 6 - First Day of Shravan 2020 (First Monday)
July 13 - Second Monday
July 20 - Third Monday
July 27 - Fourth Monday
August 3 - Last day of Shravan


Meanwhile, here are the significant dates in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu:


July 21 (Tuesday) - First day of Shravan 2020
July 27 - First Monday
August 3 - Second Monday
August 10 - Third Monday
August 17 - Fourth Monday
August 19 - Last day of Shravan


Here's wishing one and all a very happy holy month of Shravan!