Maha Shivaratri - Wikipedia

Hindu festival dedicated to the god Shiva

Maha Shivaratri
Meditating Shiva statue on Maha-Shivaratri
Observed by	Hindus
Type	Religious
Significance	Commemoration of the wedding of Shiva and Parvati Veneration of the Tandava dance of ShivaManifestation of the lingam[1]
Observances	Fasting Self-study Jagarana Lingam puja Yoga[2]
Date	Maha Krishna Chaturdashi
2026 date	15 February (Sunday)[3]
Frequency	Annual

Explanatory noteon Hindu festival dates
The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements: māsa (lunar month), pakṣa (lunar fortnight) and tithi (lunar day). Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz. amānta / pūrṇimānta. If a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa. A lunar year is shorter than a solar year by about eleven days. As a result, most Hindu festivals occur on different days in successive years on the Gregorian calendar.
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Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually to worship the deity Shiva, between February and March.[4] According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed on the first day of the first half (night start with darkness - waning) of the lunar month of Phalguna.[4][5] The festival commemorates the marriage of Shiva and Parvati,[6] and the occasion of Shiva performing his ritual dance called tandava.[7][8]

It is a notable festival in Hinduism, marking a remembrance of "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva.[5] Ardent devotees stay awake throughout this night. Others visit one of the Shiva temples or go on a pilgrimage to the Jyotirlingams. The festival is believed to have originated in 5th century BCE.[5]

In Kashmir Shaivism, the festival is called Har-ratri or phonetically simpler Haerath or Herath by Shiva devotees of the Kashmir region.[9][10]

Etymology

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The term Maha Shivaratri (Sanskrit: महाशिवरात्रि) is a compound of three Sanskrit elements: maha ("great"), Shiva (the Hindu deity), and ratri ("night"). The literal meaning is "the Great Night of Shiva." The festival is observed annually on the krishna paksha (waning moon) chaturdashi (14th lunar day) of the month of Magha or Phalguna[11] In the Amanta lunar calendar, where a Lunar month ends on the new moon day (Amavasiya), the date falls in the month of Magha. In the Purnimanta lunar calendar, where a Lunar month ends on the full moon day (Purnima), the same lunar day of Maha Shivaratri is reckoned as occurring in Phalguna. Despite the difference in month name, the festival is observed on the same lunar night across India.[12][13]

Monthly Shivaratri

[edit]

Shivaratri ("Night of Shiva") refers to the monthly observance that falls on the 14th night (chaturdashi) of every lunar fortnight during the waning phase of the moon. Each lunar month therefore contains one Shivaratri. Devotees observe fasting, night vigil (jagarana), and worship of the linga on these days. Thus, Maha Shivaratri may be understood as the "great" or preeminent Shivaratri among the twelve monthly Shivaratris in a lunar year.[14][15]

Other names

[edit]

In Kashmir, Shivaratri is referred to as Herath (Kashmiri: हेरथ / ہیرَتھ). The name is commonly understood to derive from "Har Ratri" ("Night of Hara"), Hara being a name of Shiva. In the Kashmiri Pandit tradition, the observance of Herath expands beyond a single night and spans approximately twenty-three days, beginning with Hur-e-Okdoh (the first day of the dark fortnight of the Purnimanta month of Phaguna) and concluding on Teel-e-aetham (the eighth day of the bright fortnight of Phagun).[16][17]

Maha Shivratri is also known as Padmarajarathri (पद्मराजरात्रि), a sacred night dedicated to Lord Shiva, observed with fasting, prayers, and night-long worship by devotees.[18][19]

Origins

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Textual origins

[edit]

The origin of Maha Shivaratri is mentioned mainly in Puranic literature. One of the first mentions appears in the Shiva Purana, which links the story of the hunter Gurudruha with Shivaratri.[20] The story of Gurudruha, who is also referred to as Lubdhaka, is later found in the Javanese didactic text Siwaratrikalpa, which is dated to being composed between 1466 and 1478.[21] The festival is also mentioned in the Linga Purana and the Skanda Purana.[22]

Archeological origins

[edit]

According to some scholars, the Lubdhaka (hunter) legend associated with Maha Shivaratri may find it's roots in the Indus Valley Civilization.[24]Archaeological evidence such as the Pashupati seal has been widely interpreted by researchers as indicating early forms of Shiva or proto-Shaiva worship.[25] Archaeologist Gregory Possehl identified at least eighteen examples of a recurring "human and tiger" motif in Harappan glyptic art from sites including Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and Chanhu-daro. These seals closely resemble the story of Gurudruha (Lubdhaka) that appears in the Shiva Purana.[26]

Rituals and observances

[edit]

A festival of contemplation

During the Vigil Night of Shiva, Mahashivaratri, we are brought to the moment of interval between destruction and regeneration; it symbolizes the night when we must contemplate on that which watches the growth out of the decay. During Mahashivaratri we have to be alone with our sword, the Shiva out of us. We have to look behind and before, to see what evil needs eradicating from our heart, what growth of virtue we need to encourage. Shiva is not only outside of us but within us. To unite ourselves with the One Self is to recognize the Shiva in us.

—The Theosophical Movement, Volume 72[27]

Maha Shivaratri is particularly important in the Shaivism tradition of Hinduism. Unlike most Hindu festivals that are celebrated during the day, Maha Shivaratri is celebrated at night. It is a festival notable for its introspective focus, fasting, meditation on Shiva and an all-night vigil at Shiva temples.[5]

Night vigil (Jagarana)

[edit]

The celebration includes maintaining a jagarana, an all-night vigil and prayers, because Shaiva Hindus mark this night as "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in one's life and the world through Shiva. In temples, the night is divided into four quarters (praharas), each with its own ritual worship and singing of mantras[28][29] Offerings of fruits, leaves, sweets and milk are made to Shiva, some perform all-day fasting with Vedic or Tantric worship of Shiva, and some perform meditative yoga.[30] The injunctions from the Kalanirnaya of Madhvacharya are also followed during the Jagarana[31]

Fasting

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In Shaivism, fasting is traditionally associated with Shiva worship. It is customary for the devotees of Shiva not to eat anything until they worship him and make him offerings. On most of the days, devotees do not fast for a whole day because the worship is performed in the early morning. However, on the day of Maha Shivaratri, they wait because the worship continues late into the night.[32][33][34]

During the fast, Iodized salt is completely avoided, and instead, food is prepared using rock salt or unrefined sea salt (sendha namak). Those fasting may do "nirjala vrat," (fasting from all food and water), or fast from meat, eating only fruits and milk during the day.[35] Eating food made from rice, wheat, or pulses is also discouraged.[36] Tamasik foods such as onion, garlic, and alcohol are also avoided as they are believed to increase lethargy.[37] The fast is broken on the next day (chaturdashi) after taking a bath.[38]

Puja and abhisheka

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Ritual worship (puja) of the lingam is the central religious act of Maha Shivaratri. Devotees offer water, milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, and other sacred substances in the ritual known as abhisheka.[35] Coconut water is generally avoided for the abhisheka, as it becomes "nirmalaya" (leftover of an offering) after being offered, and therefore becomes unconsumable.[39][40] More than 49 types of plant species from 34 families are used as offerings to the deity throughout various regions of India on Maha Shivaratri. However, leaves of the bilva (Aegle marmelos), considered sacred to Shiva, are the most commonly offered plants.[41]

Fairs (Melas)

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Many regions in India and Nepal observe Maha Shivaratri not only through temple worship and fasting, but also through large public fairs (melas) and pilgrimage gatherings at important Shaiva sacred sites.[42] One of the most prominent gatherings takes place at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, where Maha Shivaratri is among the largest annual religious festivals. Thousands of devotees, including ascetics and sadhus from across South Asia, assemble at the temple complex to perform night vigils, offer bilva leaves, and participate in ritual bathing in the nearby Bagmati River.[43]

Dance (Nrutya)

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The significance of the dance tradition to this festival has historical roots. Maha Shivaratri has served as a historic confluence of artists for annual dance festivals at major Hindu temples such as at Konark, Khajuraho, Pattadakal, Modhera and Chidambaram.[44] This event is called Natyanjali, literally "worship through dance", at the Chidambaram temple which is famous for its sculpture depicting all dance mudras in the ancient Hindu text of performance arts called Natya Shastra.[45][46] Similarly, at Khajuraho Shiva temples, a major fair and dance festival on Maha Shivaratri, involving Shaiva pilgrims camped over miles around the temple complex, was documented by Alexander Cunningham in 1864.[47]

Legends

[edit]

The Maha Shivaratri is mentioned in several Puranas, particularly the Skanda Purana, Linga Purana, and Padma Purana. These medieval era Shaiva texts present different versions associated with this festival, such as fasting, and offering reverence to a lingam—an emblematic figure of Shiva.[5]

Different legends describe the significance of Maha Shivaratri. According to one legend in the Shaivism tradition, this is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation and destruction.[7][8] The chanting of hymns, the reading of Shiva scriptures and the chorus of devotees joins this cosmic dance and remembers Shiva's presence everywhere. According to another legend, this is the night when Shiva and Parvati got married.[7][48] It is also believed that on this particular day, Shiva gulped the Halahala produced during the Samudra Manthana and held it in his neck, which bruised and turned blue. As a result, he acquired the epithet Nilakantha. It is also believed that the famous Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is the place where this incident took place.[citation needed]

The Lingodbhava legend

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The Linga Purana describes another legend known as Lingodbhava (the emergence of the linga) in connection with Maha Shivaratri.[49] In this account, Brahma and Vishnu dispute their supremacy. To settle the debate, a luminous pillar of fire suddenly appeared in front of them. This event was known as lingodbhava (the birth of the Linga). Brahma took the form of a swan and ascended, trying to find its top, while Vishnu took the form of a boar and descended, seeking its bottom. After thousands of years of fruitless search, both conceded that neither could find an end. At that moment, Shiva emerged from within the flame, and the first Linga was born. The day Shiva appeared and declared his eternal nature is believed to be the day of Maha Shivaratri[50][51][52]

The legend of Gurudruha (Lubdhaka)

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The Shiva Purana contains the popular and detailed story of a forest hunter named Gurudruha (also called Lubdhaka in balineese texts), which narrates one of the earliest textual explanations for the ritual practice of bilipatra (bilva) leaf offerings during Maha Shivaratri. On one Maha Shivaratri night, Gurudruha, a hunter with no formal religious background, went to the forest to hunt and bring home food for his parents. To escape the threat of wild animals, he climbed a bilva tree. During the first quarter of the night, a hind deer came to drink from the lake. Gurudruha aimed his bow at her. The frightened deer pleaded for her life, explaining that she had young fawns at home and requesting permission to entrust them to her husband before returning to face death. After some hesitation, he agreed. While waiting for the deer to return and to keep himself awake the whole night, he plucked bilva leaves and dropped them to the forest floor. Unknown to Gurudruha, a Shiva linga rested directly beneath the tree. When dawn arrived, thousands of leaves lay upon the linga.[53][54][55]

At dawn, the deer returned with her family and told the hunter that if he wished to kill her, he would also have to take their lives. As he raised his bow once more, additional bilva leaves fell upon the Shiva linga. The accumulated punya (spiritual merit) from the worship he had unknowingly performed throughout the night had destroyed his sins and transformed his heart. Thus, he released the deer. Pleased by Lubdhaka's accidental vigil and devotion, Shiva appeared before him and granted a boon, declaring that he would be reborn as the king of the town of Shrungaverapura and that Lord Rama would visit his home and ultimately grant him liberation. In his next life, Gurudruha was born as Guha[56]

Worship

[edit] See also: Mandi Shivaratri Fair

India

[edit]

India in itself has a diverse culture though the festival is celebrated throughout the country its celebrated in unique ways.

Southern India

[edit] Mahashivaratri Celebrations of Kotappakonda (Palnadu, Andhra Pradesh) observed at night, usually in lighted temples or specially prepared prabha (above).

Maha Shivaratri is celebrated in Tamil Nadu with great pomp and fanfare in the Annamalaiyar temple located in Tiruvannamalai district. The special process of worship on this day is Girivalam or Giri Pradakshina, a 14-kilometer bare foot walk around Shiva's temple on top of the hill. A huge lamp of oil and camphor is lit on the hilltop at sunset - not to be confused with Karthigai Deepam.[citation needed] A ritual marathon is undertaken by the devotees to the 12 Shiva shrines in the district of Kanyakumari on the day of Shivaratri called Sivalaya Ottam.[citation needed] In recent years, the Isha Foundation has been a major patron of such festivities in India, with even Prime Minister Narendra Modi having attended the celebration hosted at the site of the Giant Adiyogi in Coimbatore.[57]

The major Jyotirlinga Shiva temples of India, such as in Varanasi and Somanatha, are particularly frequented on Maha Shivaratri. They serve also as sites for fairs and special events.[58][59]

In Karnataka, Mahashivaratri is one of the most important festivals that is celebrated with much grandeur. The ardent worshippers stay awake all night and visit temples to take part in the rituals. Popular temple destinations such as Dharmasthala, Murudeshwara, Gokarna, Nanjangud, Male Madeshwara Hills, Kadu Malleshwara, Kotilingeshwara, Mylaralingeshwara among others are thronged with devotees across the state and other neighbouring states.[60][61] The Isha Foundation's festivities are replicated at the Adiyogi Shiva temple at Chikkaballapur which was inaugurated on 15 January 2023.[62]

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, special pujas are held at Pancharamas - Amararamam of Amaravati, Somaramam of Bhimavaram, Draksharamam, Kumararama of Samarlakota and Ksheerarama of Palakollu. The days immediately after Shivaratri are celebrated as Brahmotsavaalu at Srisailam, one of 12 Jyotirlinga sites. Mahashivaratri utsavalu are held at the Rudreshwara Swamy's 1000 pillar temple in Warangal. Devotees throng for the special poojas at Srikalahasti, Mahanandi, Yaganti, Antarvedi, Kattamanchi, Pattiseema, Bhairavakona, Hanamkonda, Keesaragutta, Vemulawada, Panagal, Kolanupaka among others. Shivaratri yatras are held at Mallayya gutta near Kambhalapalle, Gundlakamma Kona near Railway Koduru, Penchalakona, Bhairavakona, Uma Maheswaram among others.

The Mandi fair is in the town of Mandi is particularly famous as a venue for Maha Shivaratri celebrations. It is believed that all gods and goddesses of the area, said to number more than 200, assemble here on the day of Maha Shivaratri. Mandi, located on the banks of Beas, is popularly known as the "Cathedral of Temples" and one of the oldest towns of Himachal Pradesh, with about 81 temples of different deities on its periphery.[63][64][65]

Northern India

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In Kashmir Shaivism, Maha Shivaratri is celebrated by the Hindus of Kashmir and is called, "Herath" in Kashmiri, a word derived from the Sanskrit word "Hararatri" the "Night of Hara" (another name of Shiva). Shivaratri, regarded as the most important festival of the community, for instance, is celebrated by them on trayodashi or the thirteenth of the dark half of the month of Phalguna (February–March) and not on the chaturdashi or the fourteenth as in the rest of the country. The reason for it is that this long drawn festival that is celebrated for one full fortnight as an elaborate ritual is associated with the appearance of Bhairava (Shiva) as a jvala-linga or a linga of flame. It has been described as Bhairavotsava in Tantric texts as on this occasion Bhairava and Bhairavi, his Shakti or cosmic energy, are propitiated through Tantric worship.[citation needed]

According to the legend associated with the origin of the worship, the linga appeared at pradoshakala or the dusk of early night as a blazing column of fire and dazzled Vatuka Bhairava and Rama (or Ramana) Bhairava, Mahadevi's mind-born sons, who approached it to discover its beginning or end but miserably failed. Exasperated and terrified they began to sing its praises and went to Mahadevi, who herself merged with the awe-inspiring jvala-linga. The Goddess blessed both Vatuka and Ramana that they would be worshipped by human beings and would receive their share of sacrificial offerings on that day and those who would worship them would have all their wishes fulfilled. As Vatuka Bhairava emerged from a pitcher full of water after Mahadevi cast a glance into it, fully armed with all his weapons (and so did Rama), he is represented by a pitcher full of water in which walnuts are kept for soaking and worshipped along with Shiva, Parvati, Kumara, Ganesha, their ganas or attendant deities, yoginis and kshetrapalas (guardians of the quarters) – all represented by clay images. The soaked walnuts are later distributed as naivedya. The ceremony is called 'vatuk barun' in Kashmiri, which means filling the pitcher of water representing the Vatuka Bhairava with walnuts and worshipping it.[citation needed]

In Punjab, Shobha Yatras would be organised by various Hindu organisations in different cities. It is a grand festival for Punjabi Hindus.[66]

Central India

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Central India has a large number of Shaiva followers. The Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain is one of the most venerated shrines consecrated to Shiva, where a large congregation of devotees gathers to offer prayers on the day of Maha Shivaratri. Tilwara Ghat in the city of Jabalpur and the Math Temple in the village of Jeonara, Seoni are two other places where the festival is celebrated with much religious fervour.

Other states

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In Rajasthan, Maha Shivaratri is observed by those in the surrounding areas in the Geparnath Mahadev Temple, near the city of Kota.[67]

In Gujarat, Maha Shivaratri mela is held at Bhavnath near Junagadh where bathing in the Mrugi (Mrigi) kund is considered holy. According to myth, Shiva himself comes to bath in the Mrugi kund.[citation needed]

In West Bengal, Maha Shivaratri is observed devoutly by unmarried girls and boys seeking a suitable husband or wife, often visiting Tarakeswar.[citation needed]

In Odisha, Maha Shivaratri is also known as Jagara. People fast for their wishes the whole day and take food after 'Mahadipa' (The great diya) rises at the top of Shiva temple. It usually is held during midnight. Unmarried girls also worship for seeking a suitable husband.[citation needed]

Nepal

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Maha Shivaratri is a national holiday in Nepal and celebrated widely in temples all over the country, especially in the Pashupatinath temple. Thousands of devotees visit the famous Shiva Shakti Peetham nearby as well. Holy rituals are performed all over the nation. Maha Shivaratri is celebrated as Nepali Army Day amid a spectacular ceremony held at the Army Pavilion, Tundikhel.[68] In the capital city of Kathmandu, there is a provision of road blockage where children use ropes and strings to stop the people or vehicle passing through in exchange of money.[69] Worshippers of Shiva stay up all night and some also smoke marijuana as Shiva is believed to be an avid smoker and marijuana smoking on this day is called taking ‘Shivako Prasad’ or ‘Shiva Buti’ literally the "Blessing of Shiva".[70] Crowds of sadhus and saints travel to Pashupatinath Temple located in Kathmandu from all of Nepal and neighbouring India to celebrate the day and perform puja on this day.[71]

Pakistan

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Another major temple where Shivaratri is celebrated is the Shree Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple in Karachi whose Shivaratri festival is attended by 25,000 people.[72] On the Shivaratri night, Hindus in Karachi fast and visit the temple. Later, devotees from the Chanesar Goth come to the temple carrying water from the holy river Ganges, in order to bathe the idol of Shiva. Puja is performed until 5 am, when an aarti is then done. Devotees then walk barefoot with women carrying a pooja thali containing flowers, incense sticks, rice, coconut and a diya to the sea after which they are free to break their fast. They eat breakfast later on, which was made in the temple kitchen.[73]

Outside the Indian subcontinent

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Maha Shivaratri is the main Hindu festival among the Shaiva Hindu diaspora from Nepal and India. In Indo-Caribbean communities, thousands of Hindus spend the beautiful night in over four hundred temples across multiple countries, offering special jhalls (an offering of milk and curd, flowers, sugarcane and sweets) to Shiva.[74] In Mauritius, Hindus go on pilgrimage to Ganga Talao, a crater-lake.[75]

Maha Shivrathri is known as Siwa Ratri in Indonesia and is celebrated by Hindus in Bali and Java as a major festival.[76]

See also

[edit]

• Pradosha
• Rudraksha
• Vibhuti
• Rudra
• Linga
• Rudrabhisheka
• Jalabhisheka

References

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External links

[edit]

• Media related to Shivaratri at Wikimedia Commons
• Maha Shivaratri celebrations in the USA by The Pluralism Project
• Mahashivratri images

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v t e Festivals in the Sindhi calendar
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v t e Festivals in the Hindu calendar
Major festivals	Ayudha Puja Chhath Diwali Durga Puja Ganesh Chaturthi Holi Krishna Janmashtami Maha Shivaratri Navaratri Rama Navami Thaipusam Vijayadashami
Harvest festivals	Bandna Bhogi Lohri Maghi Maghe Sankranti Makar Sankranti Onam Pongal Kaanum Pongal Mattu Pongal Pusnâ Sohrai
New year's days	Balipratipada Bohag Bihu Bisu Parba Chaitra Navaratri Cheti Chand Gudi Padwa Mesha Sankranti Mha Puja Jur Sital Navreh Nyepi Maha Bishuba Sankranti Pahela Baishakh Puthandu Sajibu Nongma Panba Sankranti Ugadi Vaisakhi Vishu
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v t e Public holidays in Sri Lanka
Jan–Mar	Thai Pongal Duruthu Poya Day Independence Day Navam Poya Day Maha Shivratri Madin Poya Day
Apr–Jun	Sinhala and Tamil New Year Day eve Sinhalese New Year/Tamil New Year Bak Poya Day Good Friday May Day Vesak Poya Day Day following Vesak Poya Day Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramazan Festival Day) Poson
Jul–Sep	Esala Poya Day Id-Ul-Alha (Hadji Festival Day) Nikini Poya Day Binara Poya Day
Oct–Dec	Vap Poya Day Deepavali Festival Day Milad-Un-Nabi (Holy Prophet’s Birthday) Ill Poya Day Unduvap Poya Day Christmas Day

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