Google trend - Mahashivratri

Mahashivratri - 10 things to know with detail

• Mahashivratri, also known as the Great Night of Shiva, is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honor of Lord Shiva. It falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalguna according to the Hindu lunar calendar.
• The festival holds great significance for devotees of Lord Shiva, who believe that observing fasts and performing rituals on this day can bring blessings, prosperity, and spiritual growth.
• One of the most popular rituals performed on Mahashivratri is the all-night vigil known as Shivaratri Jagran, where devotees stay awake the entire night chanting prayers, singing bhajans, and meditating on Lord Shiva.
• Another important ritual is the abhishekam (ritual bath) of the Shivling with water, milk, honey, yogurt, ghee, and other sacred substances. This is believed to purify the devotee and bring blessings from Lord Shiva.
• Devotees also offer bilva leaves, bael fruit, and other sacred items to Lord Shiva as a sign of devotion and to seek his blessings.
• Mahashivratri is also a day for seeking forgiveness and letting go of past grievances. It is believed that Lord Shiva forgives all sins and grants liberation to those who sincerely repent and seek his grace on this auspicious day.
• The festival is also associated with the legend of the Churning of the Ocean (Samudra Manthan), where Lord Shiva saved the world by consuming the poison that emerged during the churning. This act earned him the title of Neelkanth (blue-throated one).
• Mahashivratri is celebrated with great fervor in temples dedicated to Lord Shiva across India and in other parts of the world. Devotees throng to these temples to offer prayers, perform rituals, and seek the blessings of the deity.
• The day is also marked by cultural programs, dance performances, and processions in some parts of India. Devotees dress up in traditional attire, carry idols of Lord Shiva, and participate in the festivities with great enthusiasm.
• Overall, Mahashivratri is a day of spiritual significance, devotion, and celebration for devotees of Lord Shiva. It is a time to reflect on the eternal nature of the divine, seek inner transformation, and experience the grace and blessings of the Supreme Being.