New Delhi, July 18: On the occasion of the first Monday of the month of 'Sawan' (Shravan), a large number of devotees thronged various temples of Lord Shiva at different places in the country.

The devotees enthusiastic and excited than before as it was after two long years that they got to worship in the holy month by visiting the temple, as there were restrictions on gathering and visiting religious places amid the surge in the spread of Covid-19.

The temples in the country witnessed huge queues as the devotees visited temples to worship on the first Monday.

One of the devotees at Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi told ANI that people celebrate the occasion like a festival. "We apply Chandan (Sandalwood), Gangajal (water from the River Gange), Belpatra (Vine leaves), Honey, Milk, Curd, Shakkar, and other dear items like Bhaang and Dhatura to the deity," she added. Sawan Somvar 2022 Greetings: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Greets People on First Monday of Shravan.

Expressing the bliss on arriving to worship Shiva on the day, another devotee Rajan said, "We have gotten the chance to come here after two long years and hence the overall rush, here, has increased a lot, as earlier we were doing it at our homes only."

A priest at a temple in Uttarakhand's Haridwar shared with ANI that it is the dearest month to Lord Shiva. A huge crowd was also seen at the Bhasma Aarti in Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar Temple.

Mahakaleshwar's Bhasma Aarti is believed as most special, as it is the only 'Jyotirling' amongst the 12 where the 'Shivling' is bathed with water. It is said that in all the other 11 'Jyotirlings' Bhasma is only applied to the deity. Hence, it is one of the reasons why people from all across the world come to attend it, said the Mahakaleshwar priest.

In the Dudheshwar Nath Temple in UP's Ghaziabad, the worshipping started around 3 am.

"This is the first time that such a crowd has been gathered on a Monday here, it is usually witnessed on Shivratri," said a devotee, Aman. (ANI)