The word Shivratri literally translates into "the night of Shiva." This is because the ceremonies take place chiefly at night. A daylong fast, a nightlong vigil and the reverberating rhythm of sacred chants mark the day. This is a festival observed in honor of Lord Shiva. It is said that Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati on this auspicious day. The Shiva Lingam is worshipped throughout the night by washing it every three hours with milk, curd, honey, rose water, etc., whilst the chanting of the Mantra "Om Namah Shivaya" continues. Offerings of bael leaves are made to the Lingam. Bael leaves are very sacred, for it is believed that Goddess Lakshmi resides in them.

The festival of Maha Shivratri falls on the 13th (or 14th) day of the month of Phalguna (February-March) of the Indian calendar. The weather remains pleasant throughout India during this time of the year.

This is an important day for the devotees of Shiva, who stay awake throughout the night, praying to him. In all major centers of Shiva worship, Shivratri, also called Maha Shivratri, is a grand occasion. From the very early morning, Shiva temples are flocked by devotees, mostly women, who come to perform the traditional worship of the Shivalinga. All through the day, devotees abstain from eating food and break their fast only the next morning, after the nightlong worship. The day is considered especially auspicious for women. Married women pray for the well being of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for a husband like Shiva, who is considered the ideal husband.

Hymns in praise of Lord Shiva are sung with great fervor and devotion. People repeat the Panchakshara Mantra, Om Namah Shivaya. It is believed that one who utters the name of Shiva during Shivratri with proper devotion is freed from all sins. He reaches the abode of Shiva and lives happily there. He is liberated from the cycle of birth and death. Many pilgrims flock to the places where there are Shiva temples.

Shiva being an ascetic god, Maha Shivratri is very popular with ascetics. Thandai, a drink made with cannabis, almonds and milk, is essentially drunk by the devotees. This is so because cannabis is said to have been very dear to Shiva. The Puranas contain many stories and legends describing the origin of this festival. According to one, during the Samudra Manthan, a pot of poison emerged from the ocean. This terrified the gods and demons as the poison was capable of destroying the entire world, they ran to Shiva for help. To protect the world from its evil effects, Shiva drank the deadly poison but held it in his throat instead of swallowing it. Because of that, his throat turned blue, he was given the name Nilkantha - 'the blue-throated one'. Shivratri is also the celebration of this event by which Shiva saved the world.

Rituals

Devotees bathe at sunrise, preferably in the Ganga or any other holy water source (like the Shiva Sagar tank at Khajuraho). They offer prayers to the sun, Vishnu and Shiva. This is a purificatory rite, an important part of all Hindu festivals. Wearing a clean piece of clothing after the holy bath, worshippers carry pots of water to the temple to bathe the Shivalinga. The temple reverberates with the sound of bells and shouts of 'Shankarji ki Jai' or (Hail Shiva). Devotees circumambulate the linga, three or seven times and then pour water over it. Some also pour milk.

The linga is bathed with milk, water and honey. It is then anointed with sandalwood paste. People offer wood apple or bael leaves and fruit, milk, sandalwood and jujube fruit (bér) to the linga. Shiva is believed to be very hot tempered and hence things that have a cooling effect are offered to him. People decorate the linga with flowers and garlands and offer incense sticks and fruit. In bigger temples, there is almost a stampede as devotees seek favors from their beloved god. Many also employ the services of a priest to perform special prayers.

According to the Shiva Purana, the Maha Shivratri worship must incorporate six items: the ceremonial offer of cooling bael leaves to the hot-blooded deity, representing purification of the soul; the vermilion paste applied on the linga after bathing it, representing virtue; food offering which is conducive to longevity and gratification of desires; incense, yielding wealth; the lighting of the lamp which is conducive to the attainment of knowledge; and betel leaves marking satisfaction with worldly pleasures. These six items, till today, form an indispensable part of Maha Shivratri, be it a simple ceremony at home or grand temple worship. By offering water, hugging the linga, lighting the diya and incense and ringing the temple bells, devotees call into focus all their senses, making them acutely aware of themselves and the universe to which they belong.

There are several legends and stories associated with Maha Shivratri. It is said that once a hunter was roaming in the jungle on the bank of the Kolidum River. He was chasing a deer when he heard the growl of a tiger. He ran as fast as he could and climbed up a tree nearby. The tiger stood at the foot of the tree and did not leave. All through the night, the hunter had to stay up in the tree. Afraid that he would fall if he fell asleep, he gently plucked one leaf after another from the tree and threw it down. At the foot of the tree was a Shiva Linga (an image of Lord Shiva). Without realizing it, the hunter, who was sitting on a vilva tree, threw the leaves down at the Linga. The tiger left in at sunrise. The hunter looked down, and found that the tiger was gone and in its place stood Lord Shiva. The hunter prostrated in front of Shiva and received mukti-the release from the cycle of birth and death.

According to a legend in the Ramayana, King Bhagirath once left his kingdom to meditate for the salvation of the souls of his ancestors. He observed a penance to Brahma for a thousand years, requesting Ganga to come down to earth from heaven. He wanted her to wash over his ancestor's ashes to release them from a curse and allow them to go to heaven. Brahma granted his wish but told him to pray to Shiva, who alone could sustain the weight of her descent. Accordingly, Ganga descended on Shiva's head and after meandering through his thick matted locks, reached the earth. According to a modified version, what reached the earth was just sprinkles from his hair. This story is re-enacted by bathing the linga. The love of water, the primary element of life, is also remembered in this ritualistic action.

According to another legend in the Shiva Purana, once Brahma and Vishnu were fighting over who was the superior of the two. Horrified at the intensity of the battle, the other gods asked Shiva to intervene. To make them realize the futility of their fight, Shiva assumed the form of a huge column of fire in between Brahma and Vishnu. Awestruck by its magnitude, they decided to find one end each to establish supremacy over the other. Brahma assumed the form of a swan and went upwards and Vishnu as Varaha went into the earth. Nevertheless, light has no limit and though they searched for thousands of miles, neither could find the end. On his journey upwards, Brahma came across a ketaki flower wafting down slowly. When asked where she had come from, the ketaki replied that she had been placed at the top of the fiery column as an offering. Unable to find the uppermost limit, Brahma decided to end his search and take the flower as a witness. At this, the angry Shiva revealed his true form. He punished Brahma for telling a lie and cursed him that no one would ever pray to him. The ketaki flower too was banned from being used as an offering for any worship, as she had testified falsely. Since it was on the 14th day in the dark half of the month of Phalguna that Shiva first manifested himself in the form of a linga, the day is especially auspicious and is celebrated as Maha Shivratri. Worshipping Shiva on this day is believed to bestow one with happiness and prosperity.

There is another possible reason for the origin of the all-night worship. Maha Shivratri being a moonless night, people worship the god who wears the crescent moon as an adornment in his hair, Shiva. This was probably to ensure that the moon rose the next night.

According to one myth, Parvati performed tapas, prayed, and meditated on this day to ward off any evil that may befall her husband on the moonless night.

Regional Celebrations

Phalguna is a peculiar month. Immediately after Maha Shivratri, almost like a miracle, the trees are full of flowers as if to announce that after winter, the fertility of the earth has been rejuvenated. The linga is worshipped throughout India as a symbol of fertility. The festivities differ in various parts of India.

In Karnataka, children are allowed to get into all kinds of mischief, probably originating from the mythological incident of Shiva punishing Brahma for lying.

The Vishwanath Temple at Kashi in Varanasi celebrates the linga (symbolic of the pillar of light) and the manifestation of Shiva as the light of supreme wisdom. Maha Shivratri is thus not only a ritual but also a cosmic definition of the Hindu universe. It dispels ignorance, emanates the light of knowledge, makes one aware of the universe, ushers in the spring after the cold and dry winter and invokes the supreme power to take cognizance of the beings that were created by him.

In West Bengal, Shivratri has become almost a folk festival. Young girls observe a fast and worship Shiva so that he may bless them with good husbands.

In Andhra Pradesh, the Sri Kalahasteshwara Temple at Kalahasti and the Bhramaramba Malikarjunaswamy Temple at Srisailam are thronged by pilgrims during the festival.

In Assam, the Umananda Temple at Peacock Island and the Sukreswar Temple on the banks of the river Brahmaputra become the hub of activity on this auspicious day. In Sibsagar, the capital of the erstwhile Ahom kings, hundreds of devotees from all over the state throng the Shiva Dol to offer prayers.

Places to Visit

Every devout Hindu celebrates Shivratri throughout India. However, there are a few renowned Shiva temples that are worth visiting on this day. They are Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Bhimashankar in Daminyal (near Pune) in Maharashtra, Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) in Madhya Pradesh, Somnath in Saurashtra, Naageshwar in Dwarka, Mallika in Uttar Pradesh, Kedarnath in the Himalayas, Dhushmeshwar in Ellora near Aurangabad, Trimbakeshwar near Nasik, Vishwanath in Benaras, Vaidyanatha in Marathwada and Sibsagar in Assam.