In the Hindu calendar, Shravan Maas takes place in July, beginning on the 4th. Shravan is the fifth month of the lunar calendar, and this year, due to a rare phenomenon occurring every 19 years, an additional month of religious worship is observed. It is thought that during this period, the cosmos is super-charged with Shiva tattvas (elements) which purify the mind, body, and soul. On Shravan Somvar Vrat (the first Monday), which this series captures, the beginning of the rainy season is celebrated. In Varanasi – India's holiest city, devotees visit the Ganges river in the early morning and, after bathing in the water to absolve themselves of any sin, they collect the holy water in a brass vessel (known as a lota) to offer at a temple of Lord Shiva, to receive his graceful blessings. It is common to observe a full day of fasting each Monday during the period. The object that the men are seen pouring the water on is an abstract representation of Shiva known as a ‘Shivling’.