July 14 marks the first Monday of this year's Shravan (Sawan) month. On the occasion, bhasma aarti of Baba Mahakal was performed in Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar temple.
Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand art at Puri beach on Sunday. He crafted a sand idol of Lord Shiva to mark the first Monday of the auspicious Sawan month.
Devotees were seen queuing up to offer prayers and perform rituals dedicated to Lord Shiva, as the auspicious month of Sawan continues to draw crowds to one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
Ahead of the first Monday of the holy month of Sawan, security arrangements have been intensified in Varanasi, with the police deploying additional personnel to manage the anticipated heavy footfall of devotees.
With the beginning of the holy Sawan month on Friday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav participated in the Kanwar Yatra in Ujjain and also showered flowers to welcome the Kanwar Yatris.
The sacred Bhasma Aarti was performed at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in Ujjain on the first day of the 'Sawan' month. Devotees gathered in large numbers to witness the early morning ritual, which is considered very divine.
Speaking to ANI, Rane expressed his faith and devotion, saying, "...Today is the first day of the 'Sawan' month and I prayed for the well-being of everyone. May our nation continue to develop...I am feeling very good after offering prayers at the temple..."
Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari offered prayers at the historic Shri Rajrajeshwar Shiva Temple, located within the City Palace in Jaipur, marking the auspicious beginning of the holy month of 'Sawan'.
Ujjain Collector Raushan Kumar Singh issued the order declaring a holiday for all government and private schools within the limits of Ujjain Municipal Corporation every Monday from July 14 to August 11. To compensate, schools will remain open on the preceding Sundays.