Sawan 2026 begins with massive rush at Shiva temples across India as Kanwar Yatra gets underway

The holy month of Sawan commenced on Thursday with thousands of devotees across the country flocking to Shiva temples to offer prayers and seek the blessings of Lord ShivaFrom Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to Delhi and Uttarakhand temples witnessed a heavy influx of worshippers on the first day of the sacred month while preparations for the Kanwar Yatra gathered momentumIn Bihars capital Patna devotees visited various Shiva temples early in the morning to perform jalabhishek and offer prayers to Lord ShivaLong queues of worshippers were seen outside temples as people marked the beginning of one of the most auspicious months in the Hindu calendarIn Uttarakhand the fervour was visible in Haridwar where Kanwariyas carrying holy Ganga water began their onward journeys to different destinationsAuthorities have made extensive security arrangements for the Kanwar Yatra deploying a large number of police personnel along the routeOfficials said the entire pilgrimage route is being monitored through a network of hightech CCTV cameras to ensure the safety and security of devoteesIn Rishikesh thousands of devotees and Kanwariyas started arriving at prominent Shiva temples including the famous Neelkanth Mahadev Temple from midnight onwardsDevotees stood in long queues to offer water milk flowers fruits and sweets to Lord Shiva Temple authorities reported a significant increase in footfall compared to regular daysThe spirit of devotion was equally visible in the national capital A large number of devotees visited the historic Gauri Shankar Temple in Old Delhi to offer prayers on the first day of SawanWorshippers participated in special rituals and sought blessings for peace prosperity and wellbeingOne devotee at the temple told IANS I pray that God keeps everyone happy and always blesses me with a place at His feet Today is the first day of Sawan but the real rush will be seen on the first Monday of the month when very long queues of devotees are expectedIn neighbouring Noida devotees gathered at the Sanatan Temple in Sector 19 to mark the beginning of the holy month Temple premises remained crowded throughout the day as worshippers performed rituals and offered prayersReligious enthusiasm was also witnessed in Ayodhya where devotees visited the Ram Temple and other places of worship on the occasion The beginning of Sawan drew pilgrims from nearby districts and neighbouring statesMeanwhile one of the largest gatherings was reported from Varanasi where thousands of devotees visited the revered Kashi Vishwanath Temple Pilgrims from different parts of the country arrived to offer prayers to Lord ShivaA devotee told IANS We have come from Amritsar We were unsure about the journey initially but around a week ago we started preparing When Baba called us we made the tripAnother devotee at the temple said Today marks the beginning of the holy month of Sawan and the celebrations dedicated to Lord Bholenath This is only the beginning and the number of devotees will continue to increase in the coming weeks The arrangements here are excellentSawan also known as Shravan Maas is considered one of the most sacred months in the Hindu calendar and is dedicated to the worship of Lord ShivaDuring this period devotees observe fasts perform special pujas and offer water milk and other sacred offerings to Shiva LingamsThe month is associated with spiritual growth selfdiscipline devotion and reflectionSeveral important religious observances take place during Sawan including Shravan Shivratri Kanwar Yatra and Hariyali Amavasya Among these Sawan Shivratri observed on the Chaturdashi of Krishna Paksha is regarded as the most significant occasion of the monthThis year the holy month of Sawan begins on July 30 and will conclude on August 28 drawing millions of devotees to temples and pilgrimage sites across the countryThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever