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Photos: Henna, Color, and Ceremony Mark Summer Shravan Celebrations in Nepal

August 1st, 2013
According to the Nepali calendar, Shravan is the holiest month of the year, with each Monday of the month known as Shravan Somvar, when worshippers offer prayers for a happy and prosperous life. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
A Hindu sadhu (holy man) smears coloured paste onto his face at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on July 31, 2013. Dozens of sadhus live around the temple devoting their life to Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
A Hindu sadhu, or holy man, plays with a small child at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on July 31, 2013. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
A Nepalese Hindu woman leaves a temple in Bhaktapur Durbar Square area in Bhaktapur, some 12 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
Nepalese Hindu devotees walk towards the the Pashupatinath Temple to offer prayers to Lord Shiva in Sundarijal on the outskirts of Kathmandu on July 29, 2013. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
A devotee holds up offerings in honor of Lord Shiva at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on July 22, 2013. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
A young Nepalese Hindu priest offers tika blessings to Hindu devotees at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on July 22, 2013. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
Further tika blessings for devotees at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on July 22, 2013. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
Nepalese Hindus worship as they head towards the Pashupatinath Temple to offer prayers to Lord Shiva in Sundarijal on the outskirts of Kathmandu on July 29, 2013. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
Nepalese Hindu devotees bathe in the Bagmati River for Shravan festivities before heading toward the Pashupatinath Temple in Sundarijal on the outskirts of Kathmandu on July 29, 2013. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
Another Hindu sadhu walks with a child on the premises of the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on July 31, 2013.  (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
A Nepalese Hindu holds up offerings in honor of Lord Shiva at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on July 22, 2013. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images)
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Considered the holiest month in the Hindu calendar, Shravan (Sanskrit: श्रावण) falls this year between July 23 and August 21. During this period, festivals and ceremonies celebrate prosperity and every Monday, or Shravan Mass, calls for a fast. It is believed that those who fast on all Mondays during this month will have their prayers answered by Lord Shiva, to whom flowers and other fragrant offerings are made. Scientific studies say that this month typically falls during the peak of the monsoon period, when there's less sunlight, making the digestive system weaker — so fasting at least once a week actually helps to maintain good health!

Over 81.3 percent of the Nepalese population identifies as Hindu, and the first Shravan Mass on July 29 ushered in a month of celebration for many in this landlocked nation. According to Hindu mythology, the samudra manthan, or churning of the ocean, took place in this month, during which 14 types of gems and treasures emerged and were distributed among the gods and demons of the Hindu pantheon. However, the 14th item to emerge was Halahal, or poison. Luckily, Shiva, "the Transformer," drank the poison and stored it in his throat, resulting in his blue appearance and the nickname of "Neelakantha," the blue-throated god. To negate the poison, Shiva wore the crescent moon on his head and the pantheon of Hindu gods would offer Ganga water to Shiva to lessen the effect of the poison. Devotees of Shiva continue to commemorate this incident by offering Ganga water to shivalingams in temples.

During the month of Shravan, people gather at the Pashupatinath temple, one of the holiest temples of Lord Shiva, in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu. Typical offerings include lighting butter lamps and incense. Red attire and green, red, and yellow bangles are considered to be auspicious during this time and are traditional garb for women for the month, along with decorative henna tattoos.

What are you doing to celebrate this holy month? Let us know in the comments below!

Related Links

  • Interview: Sai Abishek Captures Daily Life in Nepal [Photos]
  • Shakti: The Power of the Feminine
  • Sculpture from Nepal
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About the Author

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Asia Blog contributor Bette Ha studies Anthropology and East Asian Studies at Colby College. A Brooklyn native, she loves to instagram her adventures in the city, especially her meals.
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