The sacred month of Sawan, also known as Shravan, which is considered one of the holiest months in the Hindu calendar and is dedicated to Lord Shiva, commenced today.

In the holy month, devotees observe fasting on Mondays, known as Sawan Somwar, to seek blessings and fulfil their wishes. On the first Monday of the Shrawan month, temples across the country witnessed a huge rush of devotees. In Nepal as well, lakhs of devotees visited the Pashupati temple in Kathmandu Valley.

The annual Kanwar Yatra for Shravan month also began today. During the Kanwar Yatra, a large number of people visit pilgrimage sites such as Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand to fetch the holy waters of the Ganga river.

Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh governments have made elaborate arrangements to manage the influx of pilgrims.