Why Do Women Wear Green During Sawan?
A Blend of Tradition, Devotion, and Nature
The month of Sawan (Shravan) is one of the most sacred months in the Hindu calendar. As the rains refresh the earth, hearts are filled with devotion — especially for Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. During this time, women, especially in North India, are seen adorned in green clothes, green bangles, bindis, and mehendi (henna). But have you ever wondered why green? Let’s explore the mythological, spiritual, and cultural reasons behind this beautiful tradition.
🕉️ The Mythological Story: Sawan, Shiva & Parvati
According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Parvati performed severe penance during the month of Sawan to win Lord Shiva’s love and marry him. She fasted, meditated, and lived a life of austerity to prove her devotion.
Impressed by her deep love and commitment, Lord Shiva accepted Parvati as his wife. This sacred union is believed to have occurred in Sawan. Since then, this month has been considered extremely auspicious for married women and young girls seeking a good life partner.
Wearing green symbolizes Parvati’s devotion, and by doing the same, women seek blessings for marital bliss, love, and fertility.
Why Sawan is Important for Married Women
Sawan is considered especially auspicious for married women for several powerful reasons:
🔱 Blessings for Husband’s Long Life:
Women observe fasts like Sawan Somvar and Mangala Gauri Vrat to pray for the health, success, and longevity of their husbands.
💕 Strengthening the Marital Bond:
Through rituals, prayers, and wearing green, women symbolically honor the divine love of Shiva-Parvati — an ideal couple. This strengthens emotional and spiritual bonding in marriage.
🌸 Channeling Parvati’s Devotion:
Married women see Goddess Parvati as a role model. Her dedication inspires them to nurture their own relationship with devotion, patience, and faith.
🛐 Participating in Group Rituals and Sisterhood:
Sawan is also a time when women gather in community rituals, sing bhajans, apply mehendi, and celebrate their roles as nurturers and spiritual keepers of the household.
🌱 Green – The Color of Life, Nature, and Hope
Green is not just a color — it’s a symbol of renewal, growth, harmony, and fertility. During Sawan, as the monsoon rains make everything around us bloom, green becomes the color of nature’s joy.
Women wear green to celebrate this harmony with the earth, and to invoke positive energy, peace, and prosperity in their lives.
💚 Spiritual Significance
In yogic traditions, green is the color of the Anahata Chakra (Heart Chakra) — the energy center of love, compassion, and devotion. Wearing green enhances these vibrations and connects the heart to divine energy.
It is also believed that green pleases Goddess Parvati, and her blessings bring happiness, long life for the husband, and emotional strength for women.
🛐 Traditions & Observances
- Sawan Somvar Vrat: Women fast on Mondays, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and wear green to express their devotion.
- Mangala Gauri Vrat (Tuesdays): Newly married women worship Goddess Gauri for a happy married life, dressing in green as a part of ritual purity.
- Teej Festival: Celebrated in Sawan, where women swing, sing, apply mehendi, and wear green to honor Parvati’s love for Shiva.
📜 Cultural History and Continuation
For generations, Indian women have celebrated the monsoon month with songs, rituals, and shared devotion. From grandmothers to daughters, this tradition of wearing green has been passed down, not just as a belief but as an emotional and spiritual bond with nature and the divine couple — Shiva and Parvati.
🌸 Final Thought: A Celebration of Life and Love
Wearing green in Sawan is not just a custom — it’s a beautiful expression of a woman’s connection with nature, her devotion to divinity, and her celebration of life, love, and hope.
As the earth wears green in monsoon, so do the women — reflecting the inner blossoming of faith, devotion, and spiritual strength.