Unique Shravan of Vagad: Devotees will remain immersed in Shiva devotion for one and a half month, worship starts from Hariyali Amavasya..

The Vagad region of Rajasthan, especially Banswara and Dungarpur districts, follows a different tradition from the rest of the country regarding the month of Shravan. While in most parts of India, the month of Shravan begins after Ashadha Purnima, in the Vagad region, this month begins after Hariyali Amavasya. This is the reason why the month of Shravan in Vagad is immersed in faith, rituals, and devotion for the entire one and a half months.

Increasing influence of Malvi tradition, now Shravan is celebrated in two ways.

Although traditionally, Shravan begins from Amavasya in Vagad, now the local people are also adopting the tradition of Malwa. In such a situation, some devotees start fasting, worship, and Jalabhishek after Ashadha Purnima, while many people start after Amavasya. Due to this, the period of Shravan stretches to one and a half months.

Calculation from Amavasya to Amavasya makes Vagad different
Generally, in the country, Hindi months are considered from Purnima to Purnima, but in the Vagad region, the month is calculated from Amavasya to Amavasya. This is the reason that when Hariyali Amavasya is celebrated in the middle of Shravan month in other parts of the country, in the Vagad region, the beginning of Shravan is considered from the same day.

The basis of calculation is also linked to the movement of the Sun and the Tropic of Cancer
Astrologers say that there is a scientific and astronomical reason for the beginning of Shravan in Vagad. The Sun enters the Tropic of Cancer from Guru Purnima, which is considered the farewell of the month of Ashadha and the welcome of Shravan in this region. This date becomes the foundation stone for counting the months in this area.

Cultural similarity of Vagad with Gujarat
The Vagad region is not only geographically connected to Gujarat, but the language (Vagri) and culture here also match with the Gujarati society. In Gujarat, too, the month is calculated from Amavasya to Amavasya, which further strengthens this tradition of Vagad.

Identity of Banswara: The land of twelve and a half Jyotirlingas

The Vagad region is also called 'Lodhi Kashi' in terms of Shiva worship, because twelve and a half self-manifested Jyotirlingas are located here. These include Vaneshwar Mahadev, Neelkanth, Dhaneshwar, Ankleshwar, Trimbakeshwar, Rameshwar, Dhuleshwar, Bileshwar, Gupteshwar, Siddhnath, Ghantaleshwar, and Bhagoreshwar Mahadev. The Shivalinga of Bhagoreshwar is Ardhalinga, half of which is above the ground.

Kavad Yatra becomes the center of pilgrimage and travel.

Every year, a 45 km long Kaavad Yatra is taken out from Mandareshwar Shivalaya to Beneshwar, which this time will be on August 3 and 4. This journey is not only a symbol of religious but also cultural unity.

Local astrologers and ritual experts like Pandit Avadh Bihari, Harish Sharma and Jayanarayan Pandya believe that the months in Vagad are not calculated by the phases of the moon but by the speed of the Sun entering the Tropic of Cancer. According to Pandit Rameshwar Joshi, now devotees have also started adopting the Malvi ritual, due to which the atmosphere of Sawan remains in Vagad for one and a half months.

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