Maha Shivratri would be celeberated on February 26 this year. The word literally translates to “great night of Shiva” is a Hindu festival, largely celebrated in India. as well as in Nepal and parts of Bhutan. It is pertinent to note that every year the coveted festival is being celebrated to venerate Lord Shiva, an important deity for the people belonging to the Hindu community. It is worthwhile to recall that a large number of mythological legends are being associated with this day. A section of the insiders attached to the festival, inform the reason behind its celebration. According to them when a hunter, who felt hungry, could not find any animal or a bird to kill for his meal in a forest, waited on the branch of a Woodapple tree with utmost patience. Ultimately, he found a trick to attract the deer by throwing the leaves of the tree on the ground, without being aware of the fact that there was a Shiva Lingam beneath it.
The story goes around that Lord Shiva, who was immensely pleased with the hunter’s approach, blessed him that not only should the wisdom dawned on him, but the saner-counsel also prevailed on him in its entirety. Not surprisingly, from that day onwards, the hunter stopped eating meat and other non-vegetarian items. It is also being explained that after the earth faced an imminent destruction, goddess Parvati urged her husband to protect the world. Lord Shiva, obliged her, but with a condition that the devotees must offer worship to him with dedication and passion forever. From that day onwards, the night came to be known as ‘Maha Shivratri’ and people began worshipping the Lord Shiva with joy and enthusiasm.
Mahasivarathi is also being treated as Lord Shiva’s day, as this was believed to be the desire of his wife goddess Parvathi. The devotees make it a point of observing fast on the night of Shivratri and sing hymns by lauding him with acclolades of appreciation and volley of praises. The temples across the country are decorated with lights and colourful decorations and facilitates are being made for the devotees to offer night-long prayers to Shiva Lingam. Importantly, wood-apple leaves, cold water and milk are also being offered to the Shiva Lingam on this day, as they are being viewed as the Lord’s favourite dishes. It is also firmly believed that the people who observe fast on the night of Mahasivarathi and offer prayers to Lord Shiva are expected to have a bright future and it would prove to be a blessing-in-disguise throughout their life.
It would be wiser to remember that a grand-gala celebration takes places in Ujjain, marking the Mahasivarathri, as it is widely believed to be the residence of Lord Shiva. The devotees are eagerly waiting for that fruitful day, as large processions are being carried out in the temple city, with people thronging the streets to have a glimpse of their reverred idol. There are innumerable temples to Shiva all over India, where he is symbolised in the image of a Linga. Some of the famed memorials to Shiva are Amarnath in Kashmir, Somnath in Gujarat, where Lord Rama and Krishna were looked at as disciples of Shiva.
Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival which is celebrated by people following Hinduism in India. In order to celebrate this festival in its true spirit, it is essential to know who is God Shiva and why is Shiva Ratri (Shiva’s Night) commemorated by the devotees. There is no iota of doubt that he is the supreme soul. The devotees inform us that Lord Rama invoked the Almighty Shiva at Rameshwaram and god Krishna offered his prayers to him at Gopeshwar in Vrindavan. Their memorials testify as Shiva temples. It is also being depicted that Lord Shiva must not be offended at any cost, as even though, he fulfills the wishes of his devotees within no time, and he had the penchat for punishing, if not destroying, his detractors without any hesitation.
K.V. Venugopal , Chennai.
