IRCTC’s Special Offering: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) in Bhagalpur, Bihar, will serve only vegetarian cuisine during the month of ‘Sawan,’ according to a company representative. As of July 4, the Railways would no longer offer non-vegetarian cuisine.
The manager of a food vendor, Pankaj Kumar, stated, “During the month of Sawan, food will be served without onion and garlic.” Also, fruits will be provided. This arrangement will be applicable across the entirety of Sawan. On July 4, non-vegetarian cuisine will no longer be available. Cleanliness will be addressed.”
In the Hindu lunar calendar, ‘Sawan’, also known as ‘Shravan,’ is the fifth month and one of the holiest of the year. Every Monday during this period is a particularly auspicious time to fast and seek Lord Shiva’s favours.
IRCTC’s Special Offering: Kanwar Yatra 2023
Furthermore, the Kanwar Yatra is an important ritual during this time. People collect water from sacred rivers and store it in Kanwars, which are small clay vessels. To visit Lord Shiva-dedicated temples, devotees don saffron-hued garments while carrying sacred water and travel on foot. Kanwariyas are devotees who travel to Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to collect the sacred water of the Ganges and then worship God with it.
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Learn about the Sawan month
The fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar is Sawan. This fortunate month is dedicated to Lord Shiva’s devotion. This year, the Shravan period is two months long as opposed to the usual one month. Approximately 19 years ago, a nearly two-month-long Shravan period was observed. Monday, July 10 is the first fasting Monday of this year’s period, while Monday, August 28 is the last.
Every three years, an additional month is added to the Hindu Calendar when the Sun changes its zodiac sign or transits from one zodiac to another. This transit is referred to as Sankranti. Thus, there are 12 Sankranti in a solar year, and the month without a Sankranti is known as Malmas or Adhikmas. During this month, typically no auspicious or novel duties or rituals are performed. This year, Malmas will commence on July 18, 2023 and conclude on August 16, 2023.
