MahaShivratri
The festival of MahaShivratri is celebrated as a sacred day of Lord Shiva on the thirteenth or fourteenth day during the month of February or March (Phagun). Maha Shivratri means “the big night of Lord Shiva”. The rituals associated with Maha Shivratri are performed during night and it is also believed that Lord Shiva got married to Goddess Parvati on this festival of Maha Shivratri. The festival of Maha Shivratri also indicates the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandav dance. People fast on the festival of Maha Shivratri and devote their maximum time remembering Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lingam of Lord Shiva is worshiped in a very traditional manner where the lingam is offered with honey, milk, water, honey, fruits and bael leaves. While offering these things to the lingam of Shiva people recite “Om Namah Shivaya”.
This festival of Maha Shivratri is celebrated by many people, as there are many devotees of Lord Shiva. The famous festival among the Hindus of Mahashivratri 2010 falls on February 12, Friday. This occasion falls on the Krishna Paksha of Phalgun (the Hindu month), which at the same time relates to the February – March months of the English calendar. The Mahashivratri 2010 is the day which celebrates the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati.
The actual meaning of Mahashivratri is the ‘night of Shiva’ when the Lord is worshipped with all dedication in the Hindu fraternity. On the moonless night of Mahashivratri, thousands of devotees offer their prayers to the Lord in various Lord Shiva temples. On the day of Mahashivratri, Lord Shiva was married to Parvati and people celebrate this day by observing fast and chanting prayers.
There are various ways to celebrate Mahashivratri. Perked up with utmost devotion and religious commitment, people across India (also abroad) get into the groove of worshipping Lord Shiva. It is through fast and worshipping the Shiva Linga that Shivratri celebrations take place. It is a common ritual of Shivratri celebrations with few minor variations in different regions. Shivratri Festival
For all dedicated devotees of Shiva, the Shivratri festival every year is an important occasion. They all stay awake the entire night for offering prayers to him. Various rituals are performed for worshipping the Shivalinga. It is a practice by the devotees that they stay on fast the entire day and eat and drink only next morning after night long worship. Also known to be pious, it is on this day that married women offers prayers for the well being of their husbands and sons and correspondingly unmarried women prays of the festival of Shivratri to get an ideal husband like Shiva.
Lord Shiva Mahashivratri is the occasion when the Lord Shiva is worshipped with utmost dedication by chanting Shiv Chalisa verses. Lord Shiva is considered to be the Supreme Being as he is the creator, destroyer and preserver of the entire universe. Lord Shiva, with all mercy and kindness, protects his devotees from all evil around.
Shiv Arti
There are loads of verses and hymns which are sung as Shiv Arti of the occasion of Mahashivratri. Lord Shiv Arti is recited on the special Hindu festival of Mahashivratri for calling upon the divine blessings of the Lord. The verses that are sung are usually in Hindi, but for the proper understanding of the Shiv Arti, there are also English stanzas attached.
Shivratri Puja Shivratri Puja has immense religious significance in the Hindu fraternity among the Lord Shiva devotees. Various rituals of Shivratri puja are followed to please the Lord. It is believed that if the Lord Shiva is pleased on the puja of Shivratri, then one can get rid of past sins and can attain salvation or Moksha.
Twelve Jyotirlingas
The Twelve Jyotirlingas have been considered to have great religious esteem dating back to the ancient days. The Puranas, however, have detailed description about the twelve Jyotirlingas. It is believed that if one repeats the names of the Jyotirlingas, then their sins are all easily wiped off and it makes a person pure and calm. The locations of twelve Jyotirlinga temples are across all parts of India.
Shiv Chalisa The prayer that is offered to Lord Shiva is known as Shiv Chalisa. The Chalisa for Lord Shiva have all praises for the Lord, whereby the devotees ask for His help to come out of sufferings and obstacles. To ask for blessings of Lord Shiva, it is essential to recite Shiva Chalisa with dedication. All minds should be focused on the Lord, while chanting the Shiv Chalisa verses.
Shivratri Rituals There are varied Shivratri rituals which are followed during Mahashivratri. It is now when the devotees take a bath at sunrise (in the Ganges or any holy water source). Offering prayers to the sun, Vishnu and Shiva are also a part of the rituals of Shivratri. It makes all the Hindus pious and pure. After this, pots of water are carried to the temples for bathing the Shivalinga. Either water or milk is used for this purpose. Makarsankranti Sankranti is a Sanskrit word that means the end of an event. For dwellers on earth, the movements of the sun make big news. Hence, the Indian solar calendar, based on these movements, has marked few of them to be auspicious. According to this calendar, in mid-January the sun enters Makar Rashi or the House of Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac. This is the time when the sun begins what is called the Uttarayan or its journey towards the northern hemisphere. All over the country, the first few days of Uttarayan are hailed as highly auspicious. The first day is particularly sacred and is called Makar Sankranti.
This day is celebrated in almost all the states of India with various festivities and rituals. People throng to the holy rivers in large numbers for the sacred dip. The Kumbh Mela is held on this auspicious day once every 12 years at Prayag in Allahabad.
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