Coincidence - My Birthday on Last Somwar of Sawan & Temple Visit to Bhootnath Shiv Mandir in Kolkata

In the evening of Sunday, 7th August today, it popped out like a usual reminder to get ready to visit Hindu deity Lord Shiva's Bhootnath Temple of Kolkata before the night churns into Monday. Monday being the auspicious day to pray and perform rituals to the almighty god of destruction in Hindu mythology. Coincidently, it is my birthday tomorrow on Monday the 8th August 2011, which is also the last Monday of Sawan. Sawan or Shravan is the Hindi name of the sacred month to worship supreme Hindu deity Lord Shiva. Sawan preferably falls on August of every year symbolizing the arrival of the monsoon in India. But this divine coincidence is like a privilege to start my birthday with the auspicious note of worshipping Lord Shiva at first.

Temple Visit by a Hindu man. Bowing down in front of the Almighty - Source - Pexels

As it is 'Sawan ka Somwar' (Monday of Savan) & that too last Monday of Shravan month, the temple area will be flooded with devotees with long queues, touching the Howrah Bridge on Posta area of Kolkata is a normal visual. Just imagine the scenic beauty of many Shiv bhakt standing in the queue holding garlands, cans of milk, cans of sacred water from the Ganges, sugarcane juice or a bottle of rose water, all topped with hemp to offer to Lord Shiv's Lingam. And the time taken in this queue is unpredictable at some times.

According to our schedule, we friends will head towards Bhootnath Shiv Mandir near Ahiritola Ferry Ghat on the bank of river Ganges, Kolkata side, after bathing and wearing fresh clothes at around 11 pm on Sunday night. We will reach in an hour and it will be Monday & my day of birthday by then.

Birthday Baloons in Blue Sky - Source - Pexels

Since it was raining continuously from yesterday to afternoon today, areas around Howrah, Salkia & Liluah were flooded by rainwater. But we were determined not to miss this last Monday of savan to complete visiting all four Mondays this season. It's time to engulf into this divine experience of worshipping Lord Shiva while chanting "HAR HAR MAHADEV".

My Birthday celebration will be on full-throttle throughout the day tomorrow but as it an auspicious day for me, it's always like a privilege to start such an auspicious day for me with the blessings of the supreme God and my parents.

Viewing 51 Feet Tall Lord Shiva Statue at Bangeshwar Mahadev Mandir in Howrah, Eastern India.

One of it's kind in Eastern India, this 51 feet tall Lord Shiva statue was unveiled by Honorable President Of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday, December 13, 2015. The President along with his team and Governor of West Bengal Keshari Nath Tripathi visited the famous temple ' Natun Mandir' aka ' Naya Mandir' which means 'Newest Temple' in English, i.e, Seth Banshidhar Jalan Smriti Mandir or Bangeshwar Mahadev Mandir in Howrah early morning on Sunday. FYI, the Shiva Temple rests in between Howrah Railway Station and Salkia's Bandhaghat area exactly on Salkia School Road which is both way connected to Kolkata either by road or by river through Golabari-Armenian Ferry Service as well as Bandhaghat-Ahiritola Ferry service too. It would hardly take an hour to reach the landmark if you are connecting the nearby dots I mentioned above during peak traffic hours. First Day of inaugurating the tallest ever lord Shiva in Eastern India at Bangeshwar

कलकत्ता का प्रसिद्द बाबा भूतनाथ मंदिर और हावड़ा निवासी भक्त

कुछ ढूंढली यादें और कंप्यूटर में रक्खे हुए कुछ फोटो ने मेरा ध्यान आकर्षित किया! जैसे ही मैंने फोटो देखने के लिए खोला तो सहसा याद आगया के यह सारे फोटो 2012 के सावन के महीने की हैं! वह मेरा आखरी सावन था जब बाबा धाम से लौटने के बाद, आखरी सोमवार को मैं अपने दोस्तों के साथ कलकत्ता के निमतला समसान घाट स्तिथ बाबा भूतनाथ के मंदिर गया था! आखरी सावन इसलिए क्यूंकि 2013 में पिता जी के परलोक सिधारने के बाद; ना ही मैं बाबा धाम गया और ना ही सावन के महीने में भूतनाथ मंदिर! समय बीतता गया, संन् 2014 आगया और मैं फिर से उसी जगह खड़ा हूँ जहाँ मैंने खुद को छोड़ा था! आज उन्ही यादों और अनुभव को कुछ पुराने फोटो के जरिये आपके सामने ला रहा हूँ! Lord Shiva at Bhootnath Temple-- Smartphone Photography by JNK Bandhaghat Launch Ghat-Howrah side (Smartphone Photography by JNK) मैं हावडा में रहता हूँ, इसलिए बाबा के मंदिर जाने के लिए मुझे बांधाघाट लांच घाट से फेरी पकड़नी पड़ती है! इस सुभ यात्रा की शुरुआत गंगा नदी पर सफर करने से शुरू होती है! Smartphone Photography by JNK गंगा नदी पार करने के बाद

Witnessing Aarti and Shringar at Kolkata's famous Baba Bhootnath Mandir

The sacred month of Savan in 2011 ended on Saturday, 13th August. As I told you earlier, I poured water in Baba bhootnath Mandir at Posta, Kolkata on all the 4 mondays of this month. Though I had my exams or morning classes during this period but I did not miss any of the Mondays . Rare Pictures of Aarti & Shringar of Lord Shiva Idol at Posta's Bhootnath Temple, Courtesy- Image Source- http://dharmikraj.blogspot.in / We go there riding a bike on Sunday nights after 11pm, used to reach there at 1pm or so, and destined to come back home till morning 5am. There was no chance to get adequate sleep and proper rest for the body on that day. But none cares about these stuffs during these religiously sacred days as I never felt tired after returning back to home from the temple. It seems like the Lord Shiva is attracting you towards himself. It's real fun to go there in a group, stand in a queue for hours and hours, enjoy waiting for the

Janak Yadav

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