Mahashivratri

Maha Shivratri the Hindu Festival Dedicated to Lord Shiva

Maha Shivratri Most Popular Hindu Festival in India

Significance of Maha Shivratri

Maha Shivratri or Shivratri is the most significant Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the holy Hindu Trinity (Brahma, Lor of Generation; Vishnu Lord of Operation; and Shiva, Lord of Destruction). By Maha Shivaratri it is meant "The Night of Shiva".

Four Kinds of Shivratris

According Skandha Purana, there are four different Shivratris:

Every Hindu feels that every night is the Shivratri for him. It is known as 'Nithya Shivratri'.

According to Hindu calendar the thirteenth lunar night / fourteenth; lunar day (Thithi or lunar day = Thriyodasi night / Chaturdasi Day) the waning phase of the moon (Krishna Paksha) is marked as 'Masa Shivratri' (monthly Shivratri).

Prathamadhi Shivratri is the third kind of Shivratri celebrated for thirteen days commencing the day after new moon or first lunar day to the thirteenth lunar day in the waning phase of the moon in the Tamil month Masi (Hindu calendar month Falguna) month.

Maha Shivratri or annual Shivratri falls on the thirteenth lunar night / fourteenth lunar day Krishna Paksha Triyodasi / Chaturdasi in the Tamil month Masi (Hindu Falguna) month.

Maha Shivratri

Maha Shivratri is universally observed in all Hindu temples. The temples devoted Lord Shiva celebrates this festival in a grand manner. This year Maha Shivrathri falls on 23rd February 2009.

Lord Shiva

In the Hindu pantheon Lord Shiva is considered as the god manifested by himself. His consort is considered as the manifestation of power or Shakti. He is the Lord who liberates your soul from the cycle of death and rebirth. Attainment of His feet will remove the fear of death.

Lord Shiva is worshipped in different names and forms - Shiva, Ishwar, Mahadev, Maheshwar, Sadhashiv, Pasupathi, Nataraja, Linga, Ishanan and so on.

Shiva Linga

Lord Shiva is worshipped in three different forms:...