The month of Shravan, popularly known as Sawan, is the fifth month of the Hindu calender. Shravan is considered the holiest month of the year. Each Monday of this month, known as Shravan Somvar, is a special day in Shiva temples where the dharanatra hangs over the linga or the idol to bathe it with holy water, day and night. Devotees pile the linga high with Bel leaves and flowers and fast till sunset.
It is considered highly auspicious to wear a rudraksha in Shravan month. As, Mondays or Somvars of Shravan month are specially observed with austerity. All Mondays are devoted to the worship of Shiva as this day is sacred to Lord Shiva. No other Mondays of other months are so greatly honored.
The belief is that in Shravan month, offering milk to Lord Shiva earns a lot of punya.

Shravan Month (July – August) is one of the holiest months in a traditional Hindu calendar. Each region in India considers this month as holy and numerous vrats and rituals are performed during the period. Shravan is the 10th month in a traditional Gujarati calendar and numerous Vrat and rituals are observed in the month. In 2009, Shravan Month in Gujarat begins on July 22 and ends on August 20.
Mondays in Shravan month is dedicated to Lord Shiva and devout Hindus perform the Shravan Somvar Vrat and continue it on all Mondays in Sawan. Some people observe it for years on the Shravan month. Usually, Shravan somwar Vrat is observed to get a good husband or for the welfare and long life of husbands and for a peaceful and happy life. Some couples also observe the fasting for saving their sons and daughters from serious diseases.Fasting, pujas and rituals on Saturdays in Shravan month is observed to escape from the bad influence of Lord ShaniVeerpasli is a vrat observed on the first Sunday of Shravan and is continued for next eight days for the welfare of male members in the family.

The Mahābhārata, is the greatest, longest and one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Rāmāyana. With more than 74,000 verses, plus long prose passages, or some 1.8 million words in total, it is one of the longest epic poems in the world.

It contains eighteen Parvas or sections viz., Adi Parva, Sabha Parva, Vana Parva, Virata Parva, Udyoga Parva, Bhishma Parva, Drona Parva, Karna Parva, Shalya Parva, Sauptika Parva, Stree Parva, Shanti Parva, Anushasana Parva, Asvamedha Parva, Ashramavasika Parva, Mausala Parva, Mahaprasthanika Parva and Swargarohanika Parva. Each Parvacontains many sub-Parvas or subsections.

This wonderful book was composed by Sri Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana) who was the grandfather of the heroes of the epic. He taught this epic to his son Suka and his disciples Vaisampayana and others. King Janamejaya, son of Parikshit, the grandson of the heroes of the epic, performed a great sacrifice. The epic was recited by Vaisampayana to Janamejaya at the command of Vyasa. Later on, Suta recited the Mahabharata as was done by Vaisampayana to Janamejaya, to Saunaka and others, during a sacrifice performed by Saunaka in Naimisaranya, which is near Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh.

Gupt Navratri,comes  in the Hindi month of Ashada  aor (June – July). Gupt Navaratri is observed during the Ashada Shukla Paksha .From   tomorrow  Gupt Navratri begins  and ends on July 19 2010.It is also known as  Gayatri or Ashada Navratri, is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti.

Some people fast on certain days of Gupt Navratri and vegetarian food is consumed during the period. The most important event during the nine-day period is community worship of the nine forms of Durga or Shakti. Women in a locality gather in a household during evening and worship Mother Goddess.

The other famous Navratri falls  during September – October and is celebrated throughout India.