Bihar: IRCTC to serve only vegetarian food items during 'Sawan' month

Patna (Bihar) [India], July 2 : The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) in Bihar's Bhagalpur has announced that it will serve only vegetarian food items during the month of 'Sawan,' said an official.

The Railways would stop providing non-vegetarian food from July 4.

Pankaj Kumar, Manager of a food service stall said, "In the month of Sawan, food will be served without onion and garlic. Fruits will also be given. This arrangement will be applicable throughout Sawan. Non-vegetarian food will be stopped from July 4. Cleanliness will be taken care of."

In the Hindu calendar, 'Sawan', also known as 'Shravan, is the fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar and one of the holiest months of the year.

Every Monday during this period is regarded as a highly auspicious time to fast and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.

Additionally, the Kanwar Yatra is a significant ritual during this period. People gather water from sacred rivers for this rite and place it in little mud pots known as Kanwars. Devotees don saffron-coloured clothes while carrying the holy water and walk on foot to visit temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Devotees who are termed Kanwariyas visit places like Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the holy water of the River Ganga and then worship the God with that water.

Sawan is the fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar. This auspicious month is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva.

This year, the Shravan period stretches for two months instead of the usual one-month period. Previously, an almost two-month-long Shravan period was observed approximately 19 years ago.

July 10 marks the first fasting Monday of the period this year, while August 28 marks the last Monday fast of the period.

According to the Hindu Calendar, an extra month is added every three years when the Sun changes its zodiac sign or transits from one zodiac to another. This transit is also known as Sankranti.

As a result, there are 12 Sankranti in a solar year, and the month with no Sankranti is termed Malmas or Adhikmas. Typically, no auspicious or new tasks or rituals are performed during this month. Malmas will begin on July 18, 2023, and end on August 16, 2023, this year.

This year, Sawan will commence from July 4 to August 31 and last for 58 days.