Festivals in India- Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri in India is celebrated with sincere devotion and fervor by Hindus honoring Lord Shiva.

This festival is celebrated on the 14th night of the new moon according to the Hindu Phalgun month.

As per the English calendar it is celebrated in the months of February or March.

On this festival day, devotees observe fasting strictly day and night and worship the Shiva Lingam in the aim of appeasing Lord Shiva.

There are interesting legends related to this festival called Maha Shivaratri that brings out the significance of this celebration.

Shivaratri is believed to be the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati states one of the many legends.

Shivarathri has many more legends. However, the devotees of Lord Shiva maintain strict fasting and only have milk and fruits. There are many devotees who do not take a drop of water also.

The worshippers follow the ancient traditions as well as customs that are connected to this festival and strongly believe in worshiping Lord Shiva.

The belief is that on this auspicious day praying relieves a person of all his sins and liberates him from the death and birth cycle.

Lord Shiva is considered to be the ideal husband and hence unmarried girls pray for a good husband identical to him on this day of Maha Shivarathri. On the same day, married women pray for their husbands well being.

Maha Shivarathri day is considered to be of importance and the devotees wake early and take bath in the Ganges River, if possible. They wear clean clothes and pay a visit to the nearest Shiva temple.

They bathe the Lingam of Shiva with honey, milk and water. They then worship for the entire day and night. There are many devotees who keep awake the whole night in Lord Shiva temples.

These devotees keep singing hymns as well as devotional songs praising Lord Shiva. They complete their fasting by taking the Prasad in the morning.

Maha Shivarathri is observed in majority of the parts in India. However, the south and the northern parts of India follow it in a unique way, but the fasting is observed by both the parts. The lingam is prayed and bathed and the songs are sung in all the local languages.

The elderly members in the family give guidelines regarding the fasting and the next day dishes are instructed. All the family members abide to the old traditions and the festival on Maha Shivaratri is done piously.