Month Names Derived From Nakshatras, Shravan Month Revered as Shiva's Month

The names of Nepali months are based on nakshatras. Twelve nakshatras have been chosen from the 27 nakshatras for the names of the 12 months. In the Hindu lunar calendar, the name of the month is determined based on the nakshatra in which the moon resides on the full moon day. Based on this, all 12 months of the year have their own characteristics, and the months have been named according to those characteristics.

Followers of Eastern philosophy consider the month of Shravan to be a holy month. The month of Shravan is also called the month of Shiva. The full moon of the month of Shravan falls on the Shravan nakshatra. The lord of Shravan nakshatra is the moon, and the moon adorns the forehead of Lord Shiva. When the sun enters Cancer from Gemini and the month of Shravan begins, the sun enters the southern solstice.

During this time, the sun's heat decreases and the days begin to shorten. It is an astrological belief that when the sun enters Cancer, it rains, which pleases Shiva.

In the month of Shravan, Shiva is worshiped and fasts are observed. It is believed that since Shiva himself comes to earth during this month, societies with Eastern traditions engage in special worship. It is believed that it is easier to please Shiva in the month of Shravan by performing special worship than in other months. In this month, worship of Shiva is performed and wishes are made.

It is believed that observing devotion and fasting for Shiva throughout this month is fruitful. The reason why the month of Shravan is most dear to Shiva is the heavy rainfall during this month, which provides coolness to Shiva's poisonous hot body. Nature itself performs Rudrabhishek in this month. According to the Shiva Purana, Shiva himself is water. Therefore, due to it being the month of monsoon, Shravan is considered the month of Shiva.

On the Mondays of Shravan, women, especially, wear green clothes, bangles, and mehndi, while men worship, chant, and meditate to worship Shiva and observe fasts. Using green color in the month of Shravan is considered an integration with nature. Due to sufficient rainfall in Shravan, plants get green life. Therefore, green clothes, bangles, mehndi, etc., are used to become green. It is a religious belief that doing so pleases Shiva and fulfills desires.

On Mondays, there is a crowd of devotees from early morning at Shiva temples including Kumbheshwor, Santaneshwor, Tileshwor, Rameshwor, Kaleshwor, and Maharudreshwor in Lalitpur. According to astrology, the lord of Monday is considered to be Shiva, hence Shiva is worshiped on Mondays. The glory of Shravan Sombar is also mentioned in the Puranas. It is a tradition to fast on this day, wishing for the good health, long life, and various desires of oneself and family. This year, Mondays in Shravan fall on the 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th.

Shiva is worshiped as the destroyer and benefactor of creation. Shiva is found in both formless (Shivalinga) and formed (human/yogi) forms. According to the scriptures, Shiva has five forms:

• Shivalinga (Formless form): The most important and widespread form of Shiva is the Shivalinga. It represents the creation of the universe and the formless supreme being.
• Yogi or Sadhu (Formed form): Shiva is depicted as a yogi or ascetic in meditation, wearing a tiger skin, with matted hair, a snake around his neck, and a third eye.
• Bholenath form: This is Shiva's kind and easily pleased form by devotees.
• Nataraja form: Shiva's Nataraja form is found as the god of Tandava dance. This form represents the rhythm of the universe and the dynamism of creation.
• Rudra form: This is Shiva's fierce, destructive, or angry form, which appears to destroy evil. (It is believed that Shiva in this form resides in the Maharudreshwar temple in Majhkhand.)

Shiva

Shiva is a Vedic deity. Shiva is invoked by various names. The 108 names of Shiva have special significance. These names are recited during Rudrabhishek, Shiva Puja, and chanting. Similarly, the 'Shiva Sahasranama' mentions 1,000 names of Shiva, among which Shiva is one. The meaning of Shiva is welfare. It is believed that if worshiped properly, he becomes pleased and fulfills desires.

The tradition of worshiping Shiva is believed to have been ongoing since the Vedic period. In the Vedas, Shiva is worshiped in the form of Rudra. The 16th chapter of the Shukla Yajurveda contains various descriptions of Rudra. Shiva is worshiped in the form of one who bestows happiness, destroys sins, and benefits devotees. In the Puranic texts, Brahma is considered the god of creation, Vishnu of preservation, and Shiva of destruction. Shiva is called the god of all gods, i.e., 'Devadhideva Mahadeva'.

• Maharudreshwar

In one kalpa, Devadhideva Shiva assumed a fierce form in Majhkhand. Therefore, Shiva here is known by the name Raudreshwar, or Rudreshwar. It is found in scriptures that Daksha Prajapati performed many sacrifices in his kalpa. Among those sacrifices, the sacrifice performed in the holy land of Majhkhand is considered important. There is ample evidence of the great sacrificial site of Daksha Prajapati described in the scriptures at the Maharudreshwar temple and its surroundings in Majhkhand.

After Sati Devi could not bear the insult of her father Daksha Prajapati and immolated herself in the sacrificial fire, Shiva himself appeared here and assumed a fierce form. The scriptures state that he destroyed the sacrifice and severed Daksha's head. After that, Shiva, enraged, carried Sati Devi's dead body from the sacrificial pyre and roamed the earth. There are factual grounds, including site remnants and scriptural evidence, that this is that very place.

In Majhkhand, the pair of Shiva and Parvati are together on a stone, along with the stones of the Shiva Panchayatana, on the same rock. There are paired stones in front and three stones at the back. Religious guru Chandi Poudel states that finding natural stones of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Surya, and Vishnu in the same place is rare. It is due to this historical and mythological uniqueness that the Maharudreshwar temple is gaining attention. The existence of historical sites like Gauri Kunda, Rishikhola, Bhadrakali Cave, Bhairavasthan, and Devisthan around Maharudreshwar further illustrates this. Poudel states that the evidence as described in the scriptures exists here, which allows us to say that Maharudreshwar is the sacrificial site of Daksha Prajapati.

• Rudri in Shravan

In Nepali society, there is a tradition of performing Rudri in the month of Shravan. Rudri means performing Abhishek on the Shivalinga by reciting the Shatarudriya Vedic mantra. Rudrabhishek is performed, especially on Mondays of Shravan, or on any other day of Shravan if Monday is not available, by Brahmins. The method of worshiping Shiva while praising Shiva is known as Rudri in Eastern philosophy.

In Rudri, Shiva is Abhishek with water while chanting Vedic mantras. It is believed that those who desire the four things—Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha—please God through Rudri recitation. It is believed that all desires are fulfilled because Rudra is pleased. It is believed that performing Rudri recitation with different items fulfills different desires. The word 'Rudra' means one who destroys or removes sorrow. Therefore, it is believed that reciting Rudri and performing puja destroys the physical, mental, and worldly sorrows of people.

• How to reach Maharudreshwar?

Majhkhand is a beautiful and scenic village in Lalitpur district. It is also the destination of the under-construction Chapeli-Majhkhand cable car, located next to the Kathmandu-Hetauda short route Kanti Lokpath. Majhkhand is a popular tourist destination for nature, culture, and adventure tourism. The Maharudreshwar temple is located in Majhkhand, which falls under Bagmati Rural Municipality.

To reach here now, one has to go to Chapeli via Kanti Lokpath. After traveling 28 kilometers on Kanti Lokpath from Satdobato, one reaches Chapeli. From Chapeli Bazaar, leaving the road towards Hetauda, one takes a left diversion to Bhattedanda. From Bhattedanda, there is a route to Majhkhand via Ikudol and Sanuchila, and another route to Majhkhand via Kalban and Baseri from Bhattedanda itself. For those with their own vehicles, it is faster to go via Kalban and Baseri to Majhkhand.

A bus travels daily between Majhkhand and Chapagaon and from Chapagaon to Majhkhand, providing transportation services. This bus travels via Ikudol and Sanuchila. After a 12 km journey on a dirt road from Chapeli, one reaches the Maharudreshwar temple.

The high plateau lying flat on the other side of Chapeli is Majhkhand. The high plateau here is divided into three parts. The first part is Pokharidanda, where the Maharudreshwar temple is located. The second part is Majhkhand, where the Buddhist Vihar is located. The second part has been designated as the upper station for the Chapeli-Majhkhand cable car. The third part is Salle, where hotels and a monastery are being prepared for construction.

The importance of Maharudreshwar has further increased due to the ongoing construction of a European standard cable car in Majhkhand. Along with this, the exploration of the temple's glory, myths, and origin stories has begun, and the number of devotees is also increasing, according to locals. From here, a 4 km trek leads to 'Ramite Chuchuro', from where one can view the Sagarmatha mountain range, the Kathmandu Valley, the Terai-Madhesh, and the Raxaul region from a single point.

Overall, Majhkhand is a suitable destination for experiencing nature and village life, located at a close distance from Kathmandu.