Maha Shivratri or Night of Mahadev is an annual festival that is celebrated across India in honour of Lord Shiva. It is one of the major festivals and it marks the remembrance of ‘overcoming darkness and ignorance’ in our lives. The devotees observe fast on this day and chant prayers in honour of Lord Shiva.
Some people even take a pilgrimage to Jyotir lingams. The festival is also known by other names such as ‘Har-ratri’, ‘Haerath’ in Jammu and Kashmir.
People believe during this time that worshipping Lord Shiva on this day will free them from all their sins and will help them get Nirvana or Moksha (salvation). It is also believed that Lord Shiva gulped the Halahala produced during Samudra Manthan and beheld it in his neck which bruised and turned blue, after which he was also named as Neel Kanth.
Maha Shivratri 2020 Date:
Maha Shivratri will be observed on February 21 this year.
Maha Shivratri 2020 Timings:
Chaturdashi Tithi begins: 5.20 pm on February 21, 2020
Chaturdashi Tithi ends: 7.02 pm on February 22, 2020
Nishita Kaal Puja Timings: 12.27 am to 1.17 am on February 22
Maha Shivaratri Parana Time: 6.57 am to 3.23 pm on February 22
Maha Shivaratri Parana Time: 6.57 am to 3.23 pm on February 22
Puja Samgri Aka Holy Ingredients Required For Maha Shivratri:
- Fragrant flowers
- Holy Leaves of Bel Patra
- Dhatura or Dried Bhang aka hemp
- Plum
- Mango Manjari
- Tulsi
- Mandar flower
- Raw cow’s milk
- Curd
- Pure Desi ghee
- Honey
- Ganges water aka Ganga Jal
- Camphor
- Incense Stick
- Deep/Diya Clay Lamp
- Kalash
- Malayagiri
- Sandalwood
- 5 Dry Fruits/Panch Mewa
- Panchamrit
- Perfume
- Roli and Moli
- Janeu/Holy thread
- Panch Mishthan/Five Types of Sweets
- Goddess Parvati’s make-up material/ Solah Sringar also Vastrabhushan aka clothes and ornaments
- Dakshina aka some cash
- Puja utensils
Shivratri is considered sacred for praying to Lord Shiva. It falls every month on its 13th night or 14th day, but the most important Shivratri falls twice in a year—one in the month of Phalgun and the other during the month of Shravan.
It is believed that on this particular day, ‘adiyogi’ or the first guru awakened his consciousness at the material level of existence. According to legends, no objective experience takes place on the stage of consciousness and the mind becomes transcended.
The meditator transcends time, space and causation. It is regarded as the brightest night of the soul when the yogi attains the state of Shoonya or Nirvana, the stage succeeding samadhi or illumination.
