Narali Pournima: The 15th moon ascending day of Shravan is called the Narali Pournima and Rakhi Pournima too. Shri means Laxmi and Shriphal (fruit) means coconut. Laxmi likes the coconut very much therefore the coconut has got the honourable name Shriphal. The Indian culture regards coconut as part of Indian culture; therefore its tuft of hair on the head is never removed before breaking it. There is a custom to keep a coconut in front of Gods. It is also worshiped keeping it with the mango leaves around and placed at the top of water vessel. (Kalash). Married women are honoured with a coconut placed in the pallu (ending part of their sari (padar).The coconut is used on a number of auspicious occasions. On this day, a coconut is honourably offered to the sea after worshiping it. On this day, sweet coconut-rice is offered as a great Naivedya to god. It is served as part of the meal that day. This is a family ritual. Sisters tie a yarn (rakhi )of love and bonding) to their brothers with a feeling that brothers would protect them. So, those who did not have real brothers started to respect someone as brother. Out of this the Rakhi Pournima was developed as a social celebration, and the ritual started to be observed by the sisters to tie rakhis to brothers.
Shravani: This is a collective ritual to be performed on the Shravan Nakshtra day of this month. The objective of this ritual is to give up the old thread ( Janave i.e the religious thread worn as a mark of being a Brahmin) and bear the new one, and to start study anew. At that time, havan i.e offering to god through the fire god, as also worship to a number of gods is also performed. The Rig-vedis perform Shravanis on Nagapanchi, the Hasta star nakshatra, the Yajurvedis on Narali Pournima, Samvedis perform on the Hasta star nakshatra, in the month of Bhadrapad and Atharvavedis perform on the pournima day of Bhadrapad month respectively.
Krishnashtami: The eighth day of descending moon fortnight of Shravan month is called the Krishnashtami. On this day, Krishna was born in the prison of Kansa at Mathura. Therefore a vrat ritual is being observed on this day. By performing this ritual one gets progeny, wealth on the earth and a place in the heavenly abode after death.
5. Bhadrapad
This is the sixth month of Shaliwahan calendar.
Haritalika Pujan : On the 3rd ascending moon day of Bhadrapad month,women worship lord Shiv as a family ritual for getting benefits like good husband, continuous married life, happiness and health to all people in the family, prosperity of the family, and finally to get the Kailas i.e. heavenly abode after death.
The place where Gauri worshipped the Pinda(ling) of Lord Shiva for getting Him as her husband, is a cave on the north of the mountain named Gaur in the Himalayas. There is a garden of trees named Hartal. Gauri stayed in the vicinity of those trees. Therefore she got the name of Haritalika.
Shravani: This is a collective ritual to be performed on the Shravan Nakshtra day of this month. The objective of this ritual is to give up the old thread ( Janave i.e the religious thread worn as a mark of being a Brahmin) and bear the new one, and to start study anew. At that time, havan i.e offering to god through the fire god, as also worship to a number of gods is also performed. The Rig-vedis perform Shravanis on Nagapanchi, the Hasta star nakshatra, the Yajurvedis on Narali Pournima, Samvedis perform on the Hasta star nakshatra, in the month of Bhadrapad and Atharvavedis perform on the pournima day of Bhadrapad month respectively.
Krishnashtami: The eighth day of descending moon fortnight of Shravan month is called the Krishnashtami. On this day, Krishna was born in the prison of Kansa at Mathura. Therefore a vrat ritual is being observed on this day. By performing this ritual one gets progeny, wealth on the earth and a place in the heavenly abode after death.
5. Bhadrapad
This is the sixth month of Shaliwahan calendar.
Haritalika Pujan : On the 3rd ascending moon day of Bhadrapad month,women worship lord Shiv as a family ritual for getting benefits like good husband, continuous married life, happiness and health to all people in the family, prosperity of the family, and finally to get the Kailas i.e. heavenly abode after death.
The place where Gauri worshipped the Pinda(ling) of Lord Shiva for getting Him as her husband, is a cave on the north of the mountain named Gaur in the Himalayas. There is a garden of trees named Hartal. Gauri stayed in the vicinity of those trees. Therefore she got the name of Haritalika.
Ganesh Chaturthi :The 4th ascending moon day of Bhardrapad is the day of putting or establishing the Ganesh idol in the house followed by the festival. According to the custom, this festival is held in the house for 1and ½ day, four, seven or ten days. Every day of the festival, Lord Ganeshis worshipped, Aarati is sung to him and mantras are recited, and on the last day the idol is immersed in the river, sea or the well.
Gauri Pujan: On the eithth moon ascending day of Bhadrapad month, Gauries are brought in the house and worshiped. Chittapavans bring the Gauri of stones ( pebbles). Others make masks of Gauri or Gauriidols are placed for the worship. On the 9th day Gauries have meals at home. There is a Naivedya for them (special menu for their meals) made of Dhirade of rice, and Ghatle of coconut. On the 10th day idols of Gauri are also immersed along with the idol of Ganesh.Avidhawa Navami: This is the name given to the 9th descending moon day of Bhadrapad month. If one’s own mother or any other women in the family has died before her husband’s death, she is the remembered on this day. There is a custom of offering meals to a married women as it is offered to a Brahmin.
Mahalay Shraddha: During the period of from 1st to the 15th descending moon days of Bhadrapad month, annual rememberance days are observed on the specific day of the death of one’s forefather or death of close relatives. On that day along with the death of a specific person, all the other forefathers ancestors in the form of Pinddan ( dough made of rice in the shape of Ling) are also remembered and worshipped by offering meals to Brahmins. The ritual of Tarpan ( giving water) to all the ancestors.