In this Technology’s age, God is always there. Without the help of God we can’t take a single step forward  in our daily life.

Maha Shivaratri or ‘The Night of Shiva’ is celebrated all over India on the 14th moonless night in Phalgun. It is very auspicious festival on which people keep fast and chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ all night. Sweets like saboodana kheer, cashewnut barfi, shivratri raita, aloo khichdi, potato pumpkin pancakes and tikki along with Thadai (Bhaang) is distributed.

Maha Shivaratri is a hindu festival celebrated annually in reverence of the God Shiva It is believed to be the day Shiva saved the universe by drinking “haalaahala” the poison that emerged from the churning of the ocean (samudra manthana). While most Indian festivals are celebrated during the day, Shivaratri is celebrated during the night by keeping a “jaagaran” – a night-long vigil as its believed that Lord Shiva saved the universe from darkness and ignorance. This day is also believed to be the day that Shiva was married to the Goddess Parvati. The Maha Shivaratri festival, also popularly known as ‘Shivaratri’ (spelt asSivaratri, Shivaratri,Sivarathri, and Shivarathri) or ‘Great Night of Shiva’, marks the convergence of Shiva and Shakti. Maha Shivaratri is celebrated on the Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi of Hindu calendar month Maagha as per Amavasya-ant month calculation. As per Poornima-ant month calculation, the day is Krishna Paksha Trayodashi or Chaturdashi of Hindu calendar month Phalguna which falls in February or March .. Of the twelve Shivaratris in the year, the Maha Shivarathri is the most holy.

The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael leaves to Shiva, all-day fasting and an all-night-vigil (jagaran). All through the day, devotees chant “Om namah Shivaya, the sacred mantra of Shiva. Penances are performed in order to gain boons in the practice of  Yoga and meditation, in order to reach life’s highest good steadily and swiftly. On this day, the planetary positions in the Northern hemisphere act as potent catalysts to help a person raise his or her spiritual energy more easily. The benefits of powerful ancient Sanskrit mantras such as Maha Mrityanjaya Mantra increase greatly on this night.

In Nepal, millions of Hindus attend Shivaratri together from different part of the world at the famous Pashupatinath Temple. Thousands of devotees also attend Mahasivaratri at the famous Shiva Shakti Peetham of Nepal.

In Indo-caribbean communities throughout the West Indies, thousands of Hindus spend the auspicious night in over 400 temples across the country, offering special jhalls to Lord Shiva. In Mauritius, Hindus go on pilgrimage to Ganga Talao, a crater-lake, turned into the main Hindu prayer site of this sole Hindu majority African country. Maha Shivaratri is the mainnm Hindu Festival among Hindu diasporas from the Northern Indian State of  Bihar.

On Maha Shivaratri, Nishita Kala is the ideal time to observe Shiva Pooja. Nishita Kala celebrates when Lord Shiva appeared on the Earth in the form of Linga. On this day, in all Shiva temples, the most auspicious Lingodbhava Puja is performed.

See more at  http://www.findtutoronline.net/blog

 

Suggestions & Feedback are most welcome.