
Shivaratri Celebrations
Maha Shivaratri is celebrated with
great devotion and religious fervor by Hindus, in honor of Lord Shiva, one of
the Hindu Gods forming the Trinity. The festival falls on the moonless, 14th
night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun (in the month of February - March, according to English Calendar). On the festival of Maha Shivaratri, devotees
observe day and night fast and worship Shiva Lingam, to appease Lord Shiva.
Many interesting legends have been related to the festival of Maha Shivaratri,
explaining the reason behind its celebrations as well as its significance. According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri is the wedding day of
Lord Shiva and Parvati. It is also believed that Lord Shiva performed ‘Tandava', the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction on
this auspicious night of Shivaratri. According to another popular legend,
described in Linga Purana, it was on Shivaratri that Lord Shiva manifested
himself in the form of a Linga for the first time. Since then, the day is
considered to be extremely auspicious by the devotees of Shiva and they
celebrate it as Maha Shivaratri -the grand night of
Shiva.
Shivaratri Celebrations in Temples
After the ritual bath, preferably in the sacred waters of river Ganga, devotees
pay a visit to the nearest Lord Shiva temple carrying the traditional puja
items like milk, water, bel leaves, fruits, incense stick, oil lamp etc. Due to
massive popularity of the festival several stalls selling puja items come up
outside the temple and do a thriving business.
In the bigger and more popular Shiva temples there is massive rush of devotees.
Long queues can be noticed as devotees, mostly women, wait for their turn to
perform puja. Since, bathing of Shiva Linga with milk is part of the Shivaratri
Puja tradition; little rivers are formed due to the excessively overflowing
milk and fruit in the Shiva temples on this day.
Ritual worship of Shiva Linga is done by temple priests every three hours all
through the day and night of Shivaratri Festival. Shouts of ‘Shivaji ki Jai’,
chanting of the mantra, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and ringing of temple bells make the
atmosphere religious and devotional.
Nightlong vigil on Shivratri or the Jaagran is celebrated by singing of
devotional hymns and songs in worship of Lord Shiva. And, it is only in the
following morning that the devotees break their fast by consuming prasad
offered to the Lord.
Shivaratri Celebrations by Women

Drinking Thandai
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