Shivaratari, the Hindu festival celebrated all across India. Read more about Maha Shivaratri, visit: http://mocomi.com/maha-shivaratri/

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Maha Shivaratari

2. Maha hivaratari
Maha Shivratari, or simply Shivaratari, is a
Hindu festival celebrated all across India. The
name literally means 'the great night of Shiva'.
The auspicious time begins at sundown on the
13th night during the month of Maagha in the
Hindu calender and ends at sundown the following
day. Since the date of the festival is calculated
on the Hindu lunar calender it always falls on a
moonless night.
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3. Maha hivaratari
Shivaratari has a special significance for women
because it has its roots in a ritual performed by
Parvati, Shiva's wife. It is believed that on this
night Shiva goes into a meditative state for one
prahar (three hours). During this time he is vul-nerable
and so to protect him Parvati, offers
prayers so no harm may come to him while he is
unable to defend himself.
In the same way married women pray for their
husband's safekeeping and fast as penance for
their safety. In contrast unmarried women pray
for a husband who bears the qualities of Shiva.
The observance of this holy time begins at sunset
with a nightlong vigil or jaagran. Priests offer a
puja in a three-hour cycle where they ritualisti-cally
bathe a lingam, a statuette that symbol-ises
the deity.
The ritual of bathing a representation of
a god is known as the 'abhishek'.
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Devotees believe that by uttering Lord Shiva's
name cleanses them of their sins. They further
believe that if they do this on the night of Shiv-aratari,
the power of his name is magnified.
In the morning men and women alike participate
in a ritualistic bath, abhishekam. They will then
visit a Shiv-temple where they perform a ritualis-tic
bath of a lingam, much like the priests did the
night before. They smear vermillion paste on the
lingam to purify it. They offer a variety of fruit,
incense, and betel leaves to the statuette in order
to cast away their sins.
OM NAMAH SHIVAAYA!
Maha hivaratari
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