VIP Darshan Suspended At Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath Temple Till This Date
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi has temporarily suspended VIP darshan at the holy site due to the ongoing Hindu month of Sawan.
The temple will remain closed for VIP darshan till August 9, as heavy footfall of devotees is expected during this month.
The sacred month of Shravan, also known as Sawan, begun on Thursday, drawing millions of devotees into a period of intense prayer, fasting and rituals dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Regarded as one of the most spiritually significant months in the Hindu calendar, Shravan holds profound meaning for worshippers seeking divine blessings for prosperity, success and marital bliss. Mondays during this time, known as Shravan Somwar or Sawan Somwar Vrat, see throngs of devotees visiting temples and observing fasts to honour Lord Shiva.
For many, the devotion runs even deeper. Countless followers undertake the Solah Somwar fasts — a pledge to fast for sixteen consecutive Mondays during Sawan — as an expression of unwavering faith and a prayer for fulfilment of personal wishes.
Tuesdays in Shravan, meanwhile, take on their own spiritual significance. Dedicated to Goddess Parvati, the revered consort of Lord Shiva, these days are observed as Mangal Gauri Vrat. Devotees, especially women, perform special rituals seeking blessings for a harmonious marriage and family well-being.
Sawan is also punctuated by other auspicious occasions, including Sawan Shivaratri and Hariyali Amavasya, when temples resound with chants and rituals celebrating the divine union and cosmic balance represented by Shiva and Parvati.
The sacredness of Shravan finds its roots in a powerful legend. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva consumed a deadly poison churned out during the Samudra Manthan — the cosmic ocean churning — to obtain amrit, the nectar of immortality. Goddess Parvati, in an act of immense love and sacrifice, supported Shiva’s neck to prevent the poison from descending into his body, sparing the world from destruction. Yet the act left Shiva enduring immense pain, and devotees believe the month of Shravan is particularly dear to him as it commemorates this sacrifice and resilience.
The timing of Shravan varies across India. In the Purnimanta calendar, widely used in North India, Shravan starts fifteen days earlier than in the Amanta calendar. This year, in South and Western India, the holy month runs from Friday, 11 July, to Friday, 25 July.
