Maha Shivaratri in literal terms means the night of “Lord Shiva.” Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually on the 13th night and 14th day of the waning moon of Phalguna. The festival falls in March or February every year. People celebrate Maha Shivaratri in honor and devotion to the Hindu deity, Shiva. There is a Shivaratri day in every month of the Luni-Solar Hindu calendar but the 13th and 14th day of waning moon is the day of Maha Shivaratri.  

Mahashivaratri is the night of Lord Shiva. People celebrate the day to overcome darkness with light. Pashupatinath is the abode of Lord Shiva in Nepal and pilgrims, and Sadhu from all over the country and other Hindu countries visit the temple to celebrate the festival.

Religious Importance of Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri is a solemn festival where people worship to overcome darkness and ignorance in life and the world. People remember Lord Shiva and chant prayers, fast, do yoga and meditates on ethics and virtues. Worshippers wish for attributes such as self-restraint, kindness, honesty, and forgiveness.

People believe that the stars in the Northern Hemisphere are at optimum positions that raise a person’s spiritual energy. Worshippers and pilgrims believe that Lord Shiva’s principle is most active on the day of Maha Shivaratri.

The day marks the convergence of Shiva and Shakti. On the same day, Lord Shiva had performed the “Tandav,” a cosmic dance which also makes Shivaratri a significant day to worship Lord Shiva.

Devotees and visitors chant “Om Namah Shivaya” and “Mahamritunjaya.” all night and pray for protection from the darkness. Unlike other festivals celebrated at day, Maha Shivaratri is celebrated at night. People stay up all night on the 13th“Jagram” and worship Shiva on the 14th day of the waning moon. People keep awake all night to conquer fear over darkness and gain light that can suppress the evil.

Pashupatinath Temple

Who is Lord Shiva?

Shiva means the auspicious one. Shiva is one of the three Trimurti Gods; Brahma, Bishnu, and Maheshwar. Shiva is the Maheswar and one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the destroyer of evil. In Shivam tradition, he is the supreme being who creates, protects and transforms the universe.

Lord Shiva is a saint himself and presents an iconic appearance. He wields a Trishul and wears a serpent around his snake. His musical instrument is the Damaru; he wears a crescent moon on his head from where the holy Ganga originates. He lives in Mount Kailash, wears deerskin in his waist and sits atop the skin of a tiger.

Lord Shiva also has a third eye “Tri-Netra.” Shiva opens his third eye when in rage. The opening of Shiva’s third eye is taken as a sign of imminent destruction and chaos.

Shiva is a pan-Hindu deity revered by Hindus in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Maha Shivaratri Story

There are several stories on why people celebrate Shiva’s greatness on Maha Shivaratri. Legend says that a poison “Halahal” emerged from the ocean of Samundra Manthan and caused devastation in the world. To protect the people and world from complete destruction, Shiva drank all the Halahal and stored it in his throat. Thus his throat turned blue and gained a nickname as “Nilkanth.” Thus, people celebrate Maha Shivaratri to wish for prosperity of people and the world.

Another legend describes the significance of Maha Shivaratri from the Shaivism tradition. Maha Shivaratri is the night when Lord Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation, and destruction. Devotees also believe that on this day Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married.

Another myth about Maha Shivaratri lies in the rain. Many nights of Shivaratri, rain falls, and people believe that it is the power of Shiva. After Shivaratri, trees start gaining new leaves; flowers bloom in beautiful colors and earth becomes green and full of life.

Although Shiva is the god of destruction, people believe his dance of Purusha and Prakriti flourishes the world.

People have developed the Maha Shivaratri as the festival of weed (Marijuana) smoking. It is illegal to smoke for recreational purpose in Nepal, but on the occasion of Shivaratri, the Sadhu are overlooked for its use. Thousands of pilgrims and sadhus gather on the night of Shivaratri on the jungle behind Pashupatinath and chant prayers by smoking weed all night.

Pashupatinath Temple

Many young people visit Pashupatinath on the night to celebrate the day with the sadhus. They tell stories and legends of Shiva and sing to praise the lord. The Sadhus and local people share Chillum (a smoking pipe)and share the feeling of bliss from the weed.

Legend says that Lord Shiva often visited the jungles of Pashupatinath to smoke weed. Thus people smoke marijuana to their heart’s content to please Lord Shiva. Shiva slept in cremation sites when stoned. Thus Sadhus at Pashupatinath also put ash all over their body to resemble Shiva.

Fire is a sacred and pure substance in Hindy Mythology. Sadhu’s put ash all over their body to keep them pure in the festival.

Celebration of Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri is a major festival in Nepal. It is a national holiday on the day, and people celebrate the festival in temples all over the country. Thousands of followers of Shiva visit Pashupatinath, the supreme abode of Lord Shiva, from Nepal and India. Shiva also visited Pashupatinath as a deer and hence formed Pashupatinath, Lord of animals. Pashupatinath also has one of the 52 Shakti Peetham making the place even more significant to the followers of Lord Shiva.

The celebration of Maha Shivaratri starts in the night. Sadhu and other devotees stay awake all night, chant prayers, light sacred fires and praise Shiva of his miracles.

The people maintain complete vigil for the night to signify Shiva’s ability to overcome darkness and to welcome his descent to Earth.

The official celebration starts at midnight when Priests give offerings like Beal leaves, fruits, Vermilion paste and light lamps to the temple. People swim in the sacred Bagmati river, carry water in their cupped palms to offer it to stone stele, the symbol of Lord Shiva.

People fill the streets in line to offer their prayers and items to the idol at Pashupatinath temple. Annually, more than 1 million people visit Pashupatinath on the day of Maha Shivaratri. There are provisions of fare, religious games, and local shops in the vicinity of the temple. Many finest musicians and singers of Nepal and abroad come to Pashupati area to sing praises of Lord Shiva.

Pashupatinath Temple

Maha Shivaratri Date 2019

Maha Shivaratri is an annual festival, but the date of the festival varies from year to year. This year, the Maha Shivaratri falls on 4th March, Monday, 2019.

Visit Nepal in Maha Shivaratri

You can visit Nepal in the festival of Maha Shivaratri and witness the heavenly feeling the circulates the Pashupatinath area. The spiritual energy of people flows through you and makes you feel among gods during the rituals in Shivaratri. Make sure you don’t miss this one in a year opportunity to witness people in complete bliss towards devotion gods and their powers.

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