KATHMANDU, July 17, 2013: A month of festivities began today with women, especially Hindu ones, sporting green, yellow and red bangles as well as green sari and mehendi in their hands, all for lasting love from their husbands and would-be husbands. 

In the Kathmandu Valley, Hindu women sporting green sari and colourful bangles thronged the Pashupatinath Temple and other Shiva temples, wishing for lasting affection from their husbands and to-be-husbands.

In the month of Shrawan, which began today, women wear green, yellow and red bangles, and paint their hands with dark green colours. 

Unmarried women wear green bangles, those in love wear green and yellow bangles, whereas married women wear green, yellow and red bangles.

For a month, pundits perform Rudri and Hom rituals and recite Shiva mantras at the temples.

Temple management committees said pilgrims from Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Kavre districts are thronging temples from early morning. 

Religious fairs began today at Aashapuri Mahadev and Doleshwor Mahadev temples based in Sipadol VDC, Bhaktapur district.

Source: The Himalayan, DT. July 17, 2013.