Mahashivratri Festival of India

Name of Festival : Mahashivaratri Festival

Major Territory of Celebration
Mahashivaratri Festival is celebrated in All over India

Time of celebration (Months)
Mahashivaratri Festival is celebrated in month of Phalguna (February – March )

Worship in Festival
In the day of festival people worship the Lord Shiva

About Festival
Mahashivaratri Festival or ‘The Night of Shiva’ is celebrated by the people in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity.This festival is celebrated All over the India, Shivratri is observed on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of the month of Phalguna. People believed that this is the night, when Lord Shiva danced the ‘Tandava’.

Celebration of Festival :
The Mahashivaratri Festival is celebrated by offerings of Bael (Bilva) leaves to the Lord Shiva and all day fasting and an all night long vigil. Some devotees do not even take a drop of water. In temples, bells ring, sacred texts are chanted and offerings of leaves and milk are made to the Shiv lingam, the phallic symbol of the god.

On this Mahashivaratri Festival Shiva Lingam is worshipped throughout the night by washing it every three hours with milk, clarified butter, curd, honey, rose water etc.Peple said a Mantra ‘Om Namah Shivaya’.

History of the Mahashivratri Festival :
According to Hindu mythology when creation was complete, Parvati asked Lord Shiva which rituals pleased him the most then Lord Shiva replied that the 13th night of the new moon, during the month of Phalguna, is his most favorite day.

The major Shaivite temples at Varanasi, Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu) and Kalahasti (Andhra Pradesh) are noted for their special celebrations.