Maha Shivaratri

Brahma, Vishnu and ShivaThe festival of Maha Shivaratri is also called the “Great Night of God Shiva”, celebrated in honor of the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. It falls on the month of Magha (January-February). It is preceded by a sleepless night, during which Shiva is glorified in temples and squares, sacred hymns are sung in honor of the destroying God. In the morning, ritual ablution is performed.


The holiday is widely celebrated throughout the country. In East Bengal, Maha Shivaratri is celebrated as a folk festival. Unmarried girls on this night are awake, fasting and praying to Shiva to give them good husbands. In the temple of Tarakeshwar, located 57 km from Calcutta, barefoot pilgrims pour the brought water from the Ganges on a stone statue of God Shiva and decorate the granite lingam (an image of Shiva in the form of a phallus) with flower garlands. Maha Shivaratri is also considered an auspicious time for pilgrims to visit 12 lingams located in different parts of the country to earn the favor of God Shiva.


In many places, including Delhi, on this night you can see the lights burning in many houses and hear in flower-decorated temples hymns glorifying the great God.