With the onset of the monsoon, Indians around the country and the world will soon be celebrating the holy month of Shravana this July and August with prayer, fasting and festival celebrations. The month is dedicated to Lord Shiva, a Hindu deity that holds a special place in Hinduism and all its followers. It is believed that he was reunited with Goddess Parvati during this holy month. During this period, many Hindus observe a fast on Monday for Lord Shiva and Saturday for Goddess Parvati.

Shravan is the fifth month of Hindu lunar calendar and one of the holiest months, especially for devotees of Lord Shiva. Interestingly, Shravan or Sawan, as it is called in north India, has two different periods for people in northern India and Maharashtra, respectively. This year, according to drikpanchanga.com, Shravan for the latter will start from July 21 but for other regions including Maharashtra, it will start on August 5. But why is there this difference in the dates?