Nadda extends Shravan Somvar greetings to Shiva devotees
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
On the first Monday of the sacred month of Shravan, Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda offered devotional greetings to Shiva devotees across the country, invoking the Rudra Gayatri mantra and praying for happiness, prosperity, good health, and spiritual energy for all.
Posting in Hindi on Monday, 3 August 2026, Nadda opened with the Rudra Gayatri — 'ॐ तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे महादेवाय धीमहि। तन्नो रुद्रः प्रचोदयात्॥' ('We meditate on that Supreme Being, the great Lord; may Rudra illuminate our minds') — before extending 'heartfelt wishes to all devotees and Shiva bhaktas on the first Somvar of the holy Shravan month.' He closed with the devotional cry: Har Har Mahadev.
Shravan, the fifth month of the Hindu calendar, is considered the most auspicious period for the worship of Lord Shiva. Mondays — Somvar — within Shravan carry special religious significance, with millions of devotees observing fasts, visiting Shiva temples, and offering water and bel leaves to the Shivalinga. The month draws massive footfall at major Jyotirlinga shrines across India.
Devotional greetings on Shravan Somvar are a fixture of Indian political social media, observed across party lines. For Nadda, who simultaneously holds the portfolios of Health and Chemicals and Fertilizers and serves as BJP national president, the post reflects the party's consistent public engagement with Hindu religious observances.