Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in
honour of Lord Shiva, and in particular, marks the night when Shiva performs
the heavenly dance.There is a Shivaratri in every luni-solar month of the Hindu
calendar, on the month's 13th night/14th day, but once a year in late winter
(February/March, or phalgun) and before the arrival of Summer, marks Maha
Shivaratri which means "the Great Night of Shiva".
It is a major festival in Hinduism, and this festival is
solemn and marks a remembrance of "overcoming darkness and ignorance"
in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting
prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury
to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva. The ardent
devotees keep awake all night. Others visit one of the Shiva temples or go on
pilgrimage to Jyotirlingams. This is an ancient Hindu festival whose origin
date is unknown.
In Kashmir Shaivism, the festival is called Har-ratri or
phonetically simpler Haerath or Herath by Shiva faithfuls of the Kashmir
region. Cannabis is also smoked to mark this festival, especially in countries
like Nepal and India.
Description
Maha Shivaratri is an annual festival dedicated to the Hindu
god Shiva, and is particularly important in the Shaivism tradition of Hinduism.
Unlike most Hindu festivals which are celebrated during the day, the Maha
Shivaratri is celebrated at night. Furthermore, unlike most Hindu festivals
which include expression of cultural revelry, the Maha Shivaratri is a solemn
event notable for its introspective focus, fasting, meditation on Shiva, self
study, social harmony and an all night vigil at Shiva temples.
The celebration includes maintaining a "jaagaran",
an all-night vigil and prayers, because Shaiva Hindus mark this night as
"overcoming darkness and ignorance" in one's life and the world
through Shiva. Offerings of fruits, leaves, sweets and milk to Shiva are made,
some perform all-day fasting with vedic or tantric worship of Shiva, and some
perform meditative Yoga. In Shiva temples, "Om Namah Shivaya", the
sacred mantra of Shiva, is chanted through the day.
Maha Shivaratri is celebrated over three or ten days based on
the Hindu luni-solar calendar.[6] Every lunar month, there is a Shivaratri (12
per year). The main festival is called Maha Shivaratri, or great Shivaratri,
which is held on 13th night (waning moon) and 14th day of the month Phalguna.
In the Gregorian calendar, the day falls in either February or March.
History and significance
The Maha Shivaratri is mentioned in several Puranas,
particularly the Skanda Purana, Linga Purana and Padma Purana. These medieval
era Shaiva texts present different versions associated with this festival,
& mention fasting, reverence for icons of Shiva such as the Lingam.
Different legends describe the significance of Maha
Shivaratri. According to one legend in the Shaivism tradition, this is the
night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation and
destruction. The chanting of hymns, the reading of Shiva scriptures and the
chorus of devotees joins this cosmic dance and remembers Shiva's presence
everywhere. According to another legend, this is the night when Shiva and
Parvati got married. A different legend states that the offering to Shiva icons
such as the linga is an annual occasion to get over past sins if any, to
restart on a virtuous path and thereby reach Mount Kailasha and liberation.
The significance of dance tradition to this festival has
historical roots. The Maha Shivaratri has served as a historic confluence of
artists for annual dance festivals at major Hindu temples such as at Konark,
Khajuraho, Pattadakal, Modhera and Chidambaram. This event is called
Natyanjali, literally "worship through dance", at the Chidambaram
temple which is famous for its sculpture depicting all dance mudras in the
ancient Hindu text of performance arts called Natya Shastra. Similarly, at
Khajuraho Shiva temples, a major fair and dance festival on Maha Shivaratri,
involving Shaiva pilgrims camped over miles around the temple complex, was
documented by Alexander Cunningham in 1864.
Source: Wikipedia
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