What is the first thing that comes to your mind when someone mentions ‘Shrawan’? If someone asks this question to a Hindu woman, the answer would most likely be lord Shiva, fasting, a yellow dress, green bangles and mehendi. Shrawan marks the beginning of the festive season as major Hindu festivals like Teej, Dashain and Tihar follow and as such, the fourth month of the Nepali calendar has religious significance. It is regarded as the month of lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.

Throughout the month, Hindus avoid eating meat, onions and garlic, and some even fast every Monday as it is considered Shiva’s day. There is a myth that Prabati, Shiva’s consort, underwent a tough fast to get Shiva as her husband. Additionally, the month’s full moon (poornima) is considered auspicious as the star ‘Shrawan’ rules the sky. There is also a tradition of going on a barefoot ‘Bolbam’ pilgrimage for good health, wealth and prosperity. Apart from its religious importance, Shrawan holds special attraction for Nepali women.

Old and new

There is a religious belief that husbands of women who fast during Shrawan live long whereas unmarried women fast to get good future husbands. So many Nepali married women fast every Monday throughout the month for the good health, long life and prosperity of their husbands. They also wear red and yellow dresses and pay homage to lord Shiva in nearby temples. There is also a tradition of wearing green and yellow bangles and putting on mehendi, which is believed to be auspicious. Married women also wear green and yellow mixed beads (pote) around their necks as a symbol of marriage. This has been a tradition since ancient times.

We are well aware that many young girls discard most religious beliefs and traditions as ‘useless’ and ‘ways to restrict women’. They argue that religious practices were only made to dominate women. Older women, like our grandmothers, however, complain that younger ones are not following age-old practices. The celebration of Shrawan contrasts this conflict between the younger and older generation.

What is most striking about this month is that young girls can be widely seen wearing green and yellow bangles and mehendi, not for religious purposes but as a fashion statement. It is quite surprising that even those who ignore religious values are highly attracted to Shrawan’s practices. Unmarried girls, even teenagers, go on a fast on Mondays. They do not believe that doing so will help them find an ideal or perfect husband in the future but seem to do it as a fad. Mostly, they follow in the footsteps of their mothers, sisters and friends. They also link fasting with good health.

Keeper of tradition

Young girls get all excited to wear mehendi as the notion that the darker the colour of the mehendi, the more love a girl will receive from her future husband is widely sold by Bollywood movies. So they spend lot of time choosing the best readymade mehendi sachets and want the best designs. Many even request their beloveds to gift them green and yellow bangles in the belief that it will strengthen their relationship. Young women, even unmarried ones, do not hesitate to buy bangles for themselves. Cosmetic shops are filled with green and yellow bangles and a huge crowd of girls can be usually seen busy selecting something for themselves. Bright yellow dresses have also become part of summer fashion.

Shrawan, no doubt, holds deep religious value. However, it has come to represent something different—a seasonal fashion—for the new generation of women. So at a time when the younger generaton of girls are repeatedly criticised by the older generation for giving up on traditional and religious customs, Shrawan is a remarkable exception. Whether young women are doing it knowingly or unknowingly, they are certainly giving continuity to old tradition, even if only for fashion. This is a welcome change as old cultural practices are being preserved for future generations.   

Kafle holds a Masters in English Literature