Maha Shivaratri is particularly important in the
Shaivism tradition of
Hinduism. 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. Unlike most Hindu festivals that are celebrated during the day, Maha Shivaratri is celebrated at night. It is a festival notable for its fasting and meditation on Shiva and an all-night vigil at Shiva temples. 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. The injunctions from the Kalanirnaya of Madhvacharya are also followed during the
jagarana. Fasting 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. 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. Eating food made from rice, wheat, or pulses is also discouraged.
Tamasik foods such as onion, garlic, and alcohol are also avoided as they are believed to increase lethargy. The fast is broken on the next day
(chaturdashi) after taking a bath.
Puja and abhisheka 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. 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. In Kashmir, walnuts are soaked in water in earthen pots and buried in the ground for four to five days before Shivaratri. On the day of the festival, they are retrieved, offered to Lord Shiva, and distributed to devotees as
prasada. Fairs (Melas) 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. 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. The
Mandi Shivaratri Fair held in the town of
Mandi is also 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.
Dance (Nrutya) 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. 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. 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.
Pilgrimage On Maha Shivaratri, many devotees perform pilgrimages to the major
Jyotirlinga Shiva temples of India, such as
Varanasi and
Somanatha. They also serve as sites for fairs and special events. In Tamil Nadu, pilgrimages are also made to the
Annamalaiyar temple located in
Tiruvannamalai district. The special process of worship on this day is Girivalam or Giri Pradakshina, a 14-kilometer barefoot 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. 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. During this period, the rope used for hoisting the temple flag is coated with turmeric powder. In
Punjab, Shobha Yatras would be organised by various Hindu organisations in different cities. It is a grand festival for
Punjabi Hindus. ==Legends==