New Delhi: Devotees across India, Nepal and elsewhere celebrated the festival of Maha Shivratri Tuesday, by fasting and offering special prayers to lord Shiva by pouring milk and water on the Shiv ling and decorating it with flowers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to the nation on the auspicious day. Greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri, he said in a statement.
The Hindu festival of Maha Shivratri is dedicated to the worship of Shiva. The day is considered auspicious because it celebrates the divine marriage of Shiva- regarded as one of the primary forms of god and his wife Parvati- goddess of love, fertility and devotion. She is the gentle and nurturing aspect of Hindu goddess Shakti. Ganesha and Kartikeya are their children.
Maha Shivratri is observed on the 13th night/14th day of the 11th Hindu month of Phalguna or Maagh every year. On this day, thousands of devotees take a holy dip at various pilgrim destinations.
There are twelve Shivaratris in a year- which mark the convergence of Shiva and Shakti- representing power or empowerment, – the primordial cosmic energy and the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. The Maha Shivarathri is the most holy of them.
Devotees line up in long queues at various temples across India to offer prayers and also witness the Rudra Abhishekam of one of the most popular deities in the Hindu religion. The day is also observed with devotees smearing their bodies with ash. Believers offer of Bael leaves to Shiva, fast all-day and observe an all-night-vigil called jagaran. Throughout the night of Maha Shivratri devotees are meant to chant Om Namah Shivay.
Some of the Sadhus and Devotees take Thandai, a drink which is made of cannabis and milk and the main highlights of Maha Shivratri is that the Hindu holy men smoke marijuana during the occasion, as they believe Lord Shiva is fond of it.
Myths about Maha Shivratri
There are many mythological stories pertaining to the celebration of Maha Shivratri. It is believed that the formless God appeared in the form of Lingodbhav Moorti at midnight on Maha Shivratri.
This is said to be the reason why Shiva devotees keep a vigil at night and offer prayers to the Lord.
It is also believed that Hindu devotees stay awake all night to give company to Lord Shiva, who was not supposed to fall asleep after drinking the poison from the ocean.
According to one legend, Maha Shivratri is celebrated to mark the day when the Lord saved the world from destruction. The ocean was churned (Samudra Manthan), a pot of poison emerged, which the gods and demons believed would destroy everything. Shiva consumed the deadly poison to save the world. However, the Lord held the poison in his throat instead of swallowing it, which made his throat turn blue. Thats why Shiva is also known as Neelkanth.
Another legend says Lord Shiva married Devi Parvati on Maha Shivratri. Thus, the day is the union of Shiva and Shakti- two of the greatest forces of the Universe.
The day is considered auspicious for women. They fast and pray to the Lord to grant them a happy married life. Unmarried women on the other hand, pray for an ideal husband like Shiva.
According to Shiv Purana, the following items are to be included by devotees when they make offerings in prayer: The Shiva Linga must be bathed with water, milk and honey. Also, bilva patra (leaves of the bael tree) must be offered to the lord as it is believed to purify the soul. Vermilion is to be applied over the Shiva Linga after bathing as it represents virtue. Symbolising longevity, different kinds of fruits are offered to the Linga for the fulfilment of wishes.
After this, incense sticks are lighted which is believed to yield wealth. Then a lamp is lit, which refers to attainment of knowledge. Offering bilva patra stands for satisfaction from worldly pleasures.
The famous Pashupatinath shrine in Nepal is expected to draw one million visitors from India and Nepal on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. Tens of thousands of devotees, including Sadhus and Naga Babas, reportedly reached the temple from different parts of Nepal and India before Tuesday, 17 Feb, to pay homage to Lord Shiva at the temple, located on the banks of the Bagmati River of Kathmandu.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
