Significance of Maha Shivaratri- A major Hindu Festival.
Maha Shivaratri – The Great Night of Shiva is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the deity Shiva.
According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed on the fourteenth day of the dark (waning) half of the lunar month of Phalguna or Magha.
The festival commemorates the wedding of Shiva and Parvati and the occasion that Shiva performs his divine dance, called the Tandava.
It signifies the celestial union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, portraying the cosmic dance of creation, preservation, and destruction. Followers partake in fasting, meditation, and ceremonial practices to invoke divine blessings. This revered occasion fosters an atmosphere of solemnity, introspection, and reverence, enveloping Shiva temples in a spiritual aura.
Throughout the night, devotees wholeheartedly engage in acts of devotion, meditation, and intricate rituals. Temples dedicated to Lord Shiva are embellished with vibrant flowers and illuminations, fostering a deeply spiritual atmosphere.
According to Shaivites, Shivratri is celebrated to express gratitude to Lord Shiva who saved the world from the poison that emerged from the Khirsagar (sea) during Samudra Manthan. It is believed that the merciful Lord Shiva drank the poison and stored it in his throat–which made his throat turn blue (due to this reason He is called by another name Neelkanth).
According to another story, it marks the day when Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati. The Shivratri legend also says that observing a day-long fast and worshipping Lord Shiva with great vigor can destroy all bad karmas and bring miraculous changes to the life of a devotee.
According to Hindu Mythology, the holy river Ganga descended from the heavens. On this divine night of Shivaratri, Lord Shiva held out His thick matted hair to hold the Ganges and softened Ganga’s journey towards the earth. And for this reason, devotees celebrate this day by offering the holy Ganga water on Shivalinga.
