The Festival of Shiv 2011: Somvaar-The Monday Fast with Shiv as Matchmaker on Valentine's Day!

Cartoon as shown on our Festival of Shiv in 2010

Today is Valentine's day and it falls on the Somvaar or the Monday which many in Shiv worshipping land regard as an auspicious day of fasting to Shiv...you will recall earlier on the festival of Shiv i.e. last Monday from the Grand Opening blog that Shiv is also known as Som Nath based on his forgiveness and compassion towards the moon...shama karo! So Monday is indeed an important day in Shiv worshipping land! :)

But the significance of Shiv worship on a Monday is interestingly very similar to some aspects of Valentine's Day as many unmarried women especially in India tend to worship Baba Shiv on a Monday in the hope of finding the perfect husband and in this regard they are beseiging Baba Shiv to act as the Ultimate Matchmaker! Some (perhaps those ladies more intent in their worship) even take it a step further and ask for a husband that is like Shiv himself! You see for in Hinduism Shiv can be many things but one of these many things is the family guy....yep the family guy Shiv can be! And we explored that on here on our festival of Shiv in 2010. So yep the ladies can also ask for a husband with the Shiv like qualities that are often seen as conducive for a good marriage...well at least when Shiv is being the family guy that is!

Shiv is no easy catch himself by the way though just ask poor Parvati (as shown in our cartoon from the festival of Shiv in 2010 above!)she had quite the time getting his attention and I'll tell you this Baba Shiv had quite the run ins with the Hindu equivalent of Cupid...Kaam Dev....poor guy! But you see Shiv really doesn't like to be bothered when he is in meditation! So now let's take in these videos where Kaam Dev is assisted by his wife Rati and sometimes Vasant i.e. spring (the season of birth and love) so that he can:

1. Arouse Shiv out of his meditation so he can marry Parvati.
2. Arouse Shiv and Sati (Parvati in another lifetime) so they can have a son.


And then you can enjoy:

3. Shiv and Sati on their honeymoon...well sort of...no arousals needed!







Happy Valentine's Day from UCP and all at the Meady's Musings Production House! :)