Nehal Rajvanshi
There is an aliveness that becomes palpable with Varsha rtu. Lushness envelopes the landscapes. Rivers, ponds and lakes begin to fill. The Earth, which was parched through the summer, begins to teem with life again.
Hariyali Amavasya is an occasion to notice the Earth in this moment of renewal and fertility.
Observed on the Amavasya in the month of Shravana, in Varsha rtu, its name comes from hariyali, which means greenery. The day is especially celebrated in parts of North and Western India, including Rajasthan, where it has long been associated with the arrival of rain, vegetation, agriculture and the abundance of the natural world.
The festival has a particularly joyful expression. People traditionally step outdoors, visit gardens and lakes, gather at fairs and celebrate a landscape transformed by rain.
There is something beautiful and reflective about celebrating this on an Amavasya.
On the darkest night of the lunar cycle, our attention shifts from the sky to the Earth, more specifically to the seeds underneath that have begun to germinate. Life is everywhere, in wet soil, new shoots, moss-covered stones and trees washed clean by rain.
Trees have always played an important place in the traditional rituals of Hariyali Amavasya. The Peepal Tree is worshipped in many communities, and planting and caring for trees has become closely associated with the day. The month of Shravana is also sacred to Shiva, so prayers and offerings to Shiva form part of Hariyali Amavasya traditions. Like other Amavasyas, the day may also include remembering ancestors, offering tarpan and giving food or other forms of daan.
We share a few small ways in which you can honour the life-giving waters and the fecundity of the Earth on Hariyali Amavasya:
- Plant something you can care for
Plant a native tree, herb or flowering plant suited to where you live. The ritual continues in watering, tending and protecting it. - Care for what is already growing
You do not always need to plant something new. You can choose to tend to a tree or plant already in your care or one that’s growing near where you live. - Offer water to a tree
Offering water to the Peepal is a traditional Hariyali Amavasya practice. You might follow this tradition, or simply spend a few quiet moments beside a tree, acknowledging the life it supports. - Remember what has nourished you
Amavasya is traditionally associated with remembrance of ancestors. Offer a prayer, prepare food in someone’s memory, give daan, or take a moment to acknowledge the people and places from which your own life has grown.
Hariyali Amavasya arrives when nature makes abundance visible. Perhaps its invitation is simply to look closely at the beauty around us, to receive its generosity, and to participate in its care.