Maha Shivaratri
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Maha Shivaratri | |
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Date | Magha Krishna Chaturdashi |
2024 date | 8 March [3] |
2025 date | 26 February |
Frequency | Annual |
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 (
It is a notable festival in
In Kashmir Shaivism, the festival is called Har-ratri or phonetically simpler Haerath or Herath by Shiva devotees of the Kashmir region.[12][13]
Description
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[14]
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. Furthermore, unlike most Hindu festivals that include expression of cultural revelry, Maha Shivaratri is a solemn event notable for its introspective focus, fasting, meditation on Shiva, self study, social harmony and an all-night vigil at Shiva temples.[8]
The celebration includes maintaining a
Legend and significance
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.[8]
Different legends describe the significance of Maha Shivaratri. According to one legend in the
The significance of dance tradition to this festival has historical roots. The Maha Shivaratri has served as a historic confluence of artists for annual dance festivals at major Hindu temples such as at
Worship
India
Maha Shivaratri is celebrated in
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.[24][25]
In
In
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.[29][30][31]
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.
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 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]
Special anointing rituals and worships were performed at the Karuvadikkuppam Kurusithananda Temple in Pondicherry on the eve of Maha Shivaratri with various items including milk and sandalwood for the Shivalingam. Also, a Natyanjali was held at the temple premises.
Nepal
Maha Shivaratri is a national holiday in Nepal and celebrated widely in temples all over the country, especially in the
Pakistan
Another major temple where Shivaratri is celebrated is the
Outside South Asia
Maha Shivaratri is the main Hindu festival among the
Fasting
See also
References
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- ISBN 978-1-59884-206-7.
- ^ "2024 Hindu Festivals".
- ^ "Mahashivratri". 27 December 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
- ^ "2022 Hindu Festivals Calendar, Hindu Tyohar Calendar for Mumbai, Maharashtra, India".
- ^ LLP, Adarsh Mobile Applications. "2021 Maha Shivaratri | Shivratri Date and Time for New Delhi, NCT, India". Drikpanchang.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8239-3180-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8160-7564-5.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-9179-7.
- ^ ISBN 978-981-230-346-2.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-7023-109-7.
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- ISBN 978-81-210-0171-7.
- ^ "Shiva". The Theosophical Movement (reprint). 72 (4). TEOS, Theosophy Company, Mumbai: 137. 2002 [February 1962]. Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
- ^ Mahashivaratri Archived 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Government of Orissa; Maha Shivaratri, Public Holidays
- ^ "This Mahashivratri, here are five Shiva mantras that will change your life for the better". Times Now. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Mahashivratri 2020: Recite Shiva Chalisa on this auspicious day to impress Shiva and gain wealth and success". Jagran English. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-136-85455-2.
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- ISBN 978-0-19-803934-1.
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- ISBN 9780670891900.
- ^ "Narendra Modi in Coimbatore as it happened: PM to unveil 112-foot Shiva idol at Isha Foundation event". Firstpost. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ISBN 9780394519715.
- ^ "🔱Shivaratri - Shivaratri Dates, Schedule and Timing 2023 | Next Shivaratri festival on 18 February 2023". varanasiguru.com. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ "Mahashivaratri celebrated with fervour in Mysuru region". The Hindu. 21 February 2020.
- ^ "Shivaratri Celebrated with Fervour Across North Karnataka". The Times of India. 11 March 2013.
- ^ "Sadhguru Sannidhi at Chikkaballapur decked up to celebrate Mahashivaratri". Economic Times. 18 February 2023.
- ^ "International Shivaratri fair in Mandi". Himachal tourism. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
- ^ "The International Festival". Archived from the original on 1 April 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
- ^ "Mandi – The Seventh Heaven". Archived from the original on 10 April 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
- ^ "You are being redirected..." giri.in. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ "Nepali Army | नेपाली सेना".
- ^ "Blocking the Roads: A Shivaratri Tradition That Needs Rethinking". dwitnews.com. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
- ^ "maha shivaratri". Border Nepal Buddhi. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
- ^ "150-year-old Hindu temple under threat in Karachi". Indiatoday. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ Shazia Hasan (7 March 2016). "Hindus celebrate Maha Shivratri festival in Karachi". Dawn. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "Trinidad Hindus observe Shivratri amid Carnival Celebration". Repeating Islands. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
- ^ "The sacred lake of Ganga Talao". CNN. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
External links
- Media related to Shivaratri at Wikimedia Commons
- Maha Shivaratri celebrations in the USA by The Pluralism Project
- Mahashivratri images