About Madhushravani

About Madhushravani

Madhushravani is a festival of new brides in Mithila, in north Bihar and the Terai of Nepal. A bride keeps it in the first Shravan after her wedding, for about two weeks, from the fifth day of the dark half of Shravan to the third day of the bright half.

The bride usually stays at her parents' home for these days. Everything she uses comes from her in-laws: new saris, jewellery, sweets, fruits and the things for the puja. Each day she eats one simple meal without salt, and worships Gauri, Shiva and the serpent goddess Vishahari.

Every evening the bride and her friends go out in bright clothes to pick flowers and leaves for the next day's puja, singing the songs of Mithila. Each day an older woman of the village tells a story, of Shiva and Parvati, of Mangala Gauri, of faithful wives and the snakes of the rains.

Walls and the floor of the puja room are painted with Mithila art of snakes, lotus and the sun and moon. On the last day the husband often comes, the bride is blessed by all the women, and the family shares a happy feast to wish the young couple a long life together.