Young girls primarily observe fasts during the sacred Shravan month, particularly the Solah Somwar Vrat, with the specific intention of seeking an ideal husband or life partner. This month is highly significant in Hindu tradition, dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
The Purpose of Solah Somwar Vrat for Young Girls
The Solah Somwar Vrat is a special observance where devotees fast for sixteen consecutive Mondays. For young, unmarried girls, this fast is undertaken with the profound wish of finding a suitable and virtuous life partner. Many girls begin this sixteen-week fast during the auspicious Shravan month, which is considered a highly potent time for devotion to Lord Shiva.
- Seeking a Virtuous Partner: The primary motivation for young girls to undertake the Solah Somwar Vrat is to pray for an ideal husband, one who embodies good qualities and ensures a happy married life.
- Devotion to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati: Lord Shiva is revered as the ideal husband, and Goddess Parvati's devotion to him is seen as a model. By fasting and praying during Shravan, girls seek blessings similar to those bestowed upon Parvati for her unwavering devotion.
- Spiritual Purification: Beyond specific desires, fasting is also a practice of self-discipline, purification, and spiritual growth, believed to bring one closer to the divine.
Shravan Somwar Vrat: A General Observance
While the Solah Somwar Vrat is specific in its duration and often purpose for young girls, the broader Shravan Somwar Vrat is also observed by many during the Shravan month. This fast involves abstaining from food and sometimes water every Monday (Somvar) throughout the month of Shravan, which typically spans four or sometimes five Mondays.
Fast Type | Duration | Primary Observers | Main Purpose |
---|---|---|---|
Solah Somwar Vrat | 16 consecutive Mondays | Young, Unmarried Girls | To seek an ideal husband |
Shravan Somwar Vrat | Every Monday in Shravan (4-5 Mondays) | Devotees of Lord Shiva | To please Lord Shiva and seek general blessings |
Both fasts are deeply rooted in devotion to Lord Shiva, the deity most associated with the Shravan month. Observing these fasts is believed to bring prosperity, happiness, and fulfillment of desires to the devotees.