How first Somvar of Shravan was celebrated at Somnath(photos)

 

How first Somvar of Shravan was celebrated at Somnath(photos)
Ahmedabad, 1 August, 2011

 

On first Somvar of auspicious month of Shravan, Shri Somnath mahadev’s Shiva linga is decorated with around 1,25,00,000 pallets of 11,000 kg flowers. More than 100 persons worked for three and half hours for decoration of Shri Somnath’s Shiva linga. This year, the month of Shravan has five Somvars.

To encourage local musical instruments that are on verge of extinction, and artists dependent on such instruments, Shri Somnath Trust has arranged a programme of ‘Bhungal bhajan mandli’ on first Somvar of Shravan at 6.30 pm in Somnath mandir campus. About 11 artists of Ahmedabad district’s Por village will play traditional music of bhakti. This will include 2 Bhungal(long piped instrument), 1 Dholi and 7 Kashi joda players.

Lok Sabha MP Dinubhai Solanki, Rajya Sabha MP Smriti Irani, Gujarat cabinet minister Nitinbhai Patel were among those present to seek blessing of Shri Somnath mahadev on the first Somvar of Shravan.

Ahmedabad’s Rabari community people who walked from city’s Ghatlodia area to Shri Somnath mandir today offered a flag to the mandir. They offered sweet to all devotees present.

Long queues could be seen outside the mandir. Even amid continuous shower, people were waiting for their turn with umbrella in hand.

First Somvar schedule at Shri Somnath mandir

Mahapuja at 6.30 am
Morning Aarti at 7.00 am
Sava laksh bilva puja at 8.00 am
Maha dugdh abhishek at 11.00 am
Mahapuja at 11.30 am
Noon aarti at 12.00 am
Evening maha puja 5.00 pm
Bilva Shringar darshan 6.00 pm
Aarti darshan 7.00 pm