Maha
Shivaratri is a famous Hindu festival celebrated each year in reverence of Lord
Shiva. Shivaratri or Mahashivaratri (Night of Shiva)
is a Hindu festival, celebrated all over the country with great enthusiasm. The
festival is exclusively dedicated to Lord Shiva who is known by hundreds of
names. Maha Shivratri is the day to rejoice and pray to the almighty for
wellness. On this day, Hindu people offer prayers to the Lord Shiva and also
observe fasting (vrata) throughout the day.
Vrat Vidhi – One day before Shivaratri Vratam, most likely on Trayodashi, devotees should eat only one time. On Shivaratri day, after finishing morning rituals devotees should take Sankalp (संकल्प) to observe full day fast on Shivaratri and to take food next day. During Sankalp devotees pledge for self-determination throughout the fasting period and seek blessing of Lord Shiva to finish the fast without any interference.
Maha Shivaratri is a popular Hindu festival. It is celebrated
every year in reverence of the Lord Shiva. Maha Shivaratri festival is also
widely known as 'Shivaratri'. It means the 'Great Night of Shiva'. This
auspicious day is believed to be the day of convergence of divine powers of
Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti.
The festival falls every year around 13th night or 14th day
in the Krishna Paksha of the of Magh (as per Shalivahana) or Phalgun (as per
Vikrama) in the Hindu Calendar. Shivaratri is celebrated on 13th day of Falgun month -
the last month of Hindu calendar.
Shivaratri is great festival of convergence of Shiva and Shakti.
Chaturdashi Tithi during Krishna Paksha in month of Magha is known as Maha
Shivaratri according to South Indian calendar. However according to North
Indian calendar Masik Shivaratri in month of Phalguna is known as Maha
Shivaratri. In both calendars it is naming convention of lunar month which
differs. However both, North Indians and South Indians, celebrate Maha
Shivaratri on same day.
Shivaratri means
the "great night of Shiva". Shivaratri is the night when Shiva is
said to have performed the Tandava Nritya, or the dance of primordial creation,
preservation and destruction.Epics claim that Mahadeva married Goddess Parvathi on
this day.
The festival is
principally celebrated by offerings of Bael leaves, fruits, flowers and incense to Lord Shiva. Shiva is worshiped in the form of a lingam - a
pillar often placed on a receptacle that represents female creative energy.
Together it represents the union of organs, and the totality of creation. All
through the day the devotees, On this day Shiva
devotees observe fast and chant
the sacred Panchakshara mantra dedicated to Lord "Om Namah Shivaya". Shivaratri is also spelled as
Shivratri, Shivarathri and Sivaratri.
Vrat Vidhi – One day before Shivaratri Vratam, most likely on Trayodashi, devotees should eat only one time. On Shivaratri day, after finishing morning rituals devotees should take Sankalp (संकल्प) to observe full day fast on Shivaratri and to take food next day. During Sankalp devotees pledge for self-determination throughout the fasting period and seek blessing of Lord Shiva to finish the fast without any interference.
You can see huge crowd of devotees outside the Shiva
temples where they come for early morning prayers. The prayers continue
throughout the night of Mahashivratri and Lord Shiva’s followers offer coconut,
As this is a dark fortnight, devotees light and diyas (a made usually of clay,
with wick made of cotton and dipped in ghee) throughout the night. This is
signified as a symbol of spiritual manifestation. Mahashivratri is one of the
major festivals in India and everybody from kids to old-age people like to
participate in one way or the other. Lord Shiva is also known as a ‘Destroyer’
or ‘Transformer’ according to the Hindu religion and he is worshiped not only
in India but also in other neighboring countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka.
It is believed that on this day the planetary
position in universe evokes the spiritual energies very easily. Religious
penances are carried out to gain boons through the practice of medication and
yoga. People worships lord Shiva whole day and chants "Om Namah
Shiva". Some devotees also perform Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra to seek divine
blessings of Lord Shiva
It is
celebrated across India and is a holiday in the following states in 2016:
Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand,
Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha,
Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand Uttar Pradesh
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