Shivratri celebrations in different parts of India

Posted on March 10, 2021 by Ghoomophiro

In India, Maha Shivratri is among the important festivals. Maha Shivaratri will be celebrated on March 11 in the year 2021. Almost everywhere in India, the Shivratri celebration is organized on a grand scale. People do fasting for the whole day and offer prayers to Lord Shiva. Among the three gods, Lord Shiva holds an important place in the Hindu religion.

Maha Shivratri Festival Significance 

On every lunar-solar of the month, there is Mashik Shivratri. On the other hand, the Maha Shivratri festival is celebrated once in the year in February/March before the arrival of the summer season. The meaning of Maha Shivratri is the Lord Shiva’s night. It is the night when Lord Shiva performs tandava dance. The celebration includes fasting and prayers the whole night. People offer leaves, fruits, and milk to Lord Shiva in the temple. All the devotees recite the mantra Om Namah Shivay.

Here are the lists of places where Shivratri celebrations have organized especially:

• Bhootnath Temple, Mandi 

Mandi is famous as the Hamlet of Himachal Pradesh. Here the Shivratri celebrations will blow your mind. At the Bhootnath Temple, a special Maha Shivratri fair is organized. It is a tradition that started 5 centuries ago by a royal family of Mandi to celebrate Shivratri. Indian and International devotees attend the fair at the Bhootnath Temple on Shivratri.

• Rishikesh & Haridwar 

Lakhs of Lord Shiva devotees visit these two religious places of Uttarakhand i.e. Haridwar and Rishikesh. On Maha Shivratri, the people visit the holy ghats of Haridwar and offer prayers. Some of them go to Neelkanth Mahadev temple for Shivratri celebrations. Rishikesh is the place where they find a place to rest and perform yoga.

• Umananda Temple, Guwahati 

You can witness one of the biggest Shivratri celebrations in Assam’s capital city Guwahati’s Umananda Temple. Many people visit the temple on the auspicious day of Maha Shivratri. A grand festival is hosted in Umananda Temple every year on Maha Shivratri.

• Matangeshwar Temple, Khajuraho 

Matangeshwar Temple in Khajuraho is one of the places in Madhya Pradesh where Shivratri celebrated with joy and great pomp. 10-days of the grand fair organized in the temple. People who visit the temple attend the fair and take a dip in the Sagar tank.

• Sree Mahakaleshwar Ujjain

Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain is among the 12 jyotirlingas. On Maha Shivratri, special prayers arrangement done by the temple management for devotees who come to the temple. This temple got its religious importance among the people because of many things about it mentioned in the Puranas. The Mahakal temple has got the same from the forest for the same name. In the Jyotirlinga trip package, you can visit the Mahakaleshwar temple seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.

• Loknatha Temple in Puri 

Odisha is the home of the famous temple Loknatha Temple located in Puri. It is believed that Shiva linga had placed by Rama in the temple to offer prayers. Throughout the year, the linga has submerged in the water. Three days before Maha Shivratri, the linga is removed from the water. To get a glance at linga, the people stand in long queues on Maha Shivratri.

• Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, Srisailam

The Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple in Srisailam is one of the 12 jyotirlingas located in the Andhra Pradesh state. On the auspicious day of Mahashivratri, Shiva, and Parvati’s wedding is organized. The people from different parts of India come to the temple for prayers. In this temple, Lord Shiva did tandava in the past.

• Srikalahasteeswara temple, Srikalahasti

The most famous Lord Shiva temple is in Srikalahasteeswara temple, Srikalahasti (Andhra Pradesh). Thousands of devotees come to the temple on the Shiva and Parvati’s union. The Shivratri celebration goes for 13 days and the idols of Shiva and Parvati are taken out at that time. On this day, chariots are decorated beautifully.

• Herath Festival in Kashmir 

The Kashmiri Pandits celebrate the Maha Shivaratri festival with joy. They start the wedding celebrations of Shiv and Parvati two days before Shivratri. The celebrations finish two days after Shivratri. This festival in Kashmir valley has known as Herath. The most important tradition of this festival is that married women visit their maternal homes. They bring money and pot from there. It has considered auspicious. It is a special festival for Kashmiri Brahmin people in the valley.

• Trimbakeshwar

Nashik is the home of jyotirlingas in Trimbakeshwar. The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is the Someshwar temple and the Kalpeshwar temple has dedicated to Shiva’s bull Nandi. Nashik is one of the places in India where the Kumbh Mela is organized. It is the central place where the Maha Shivratri festival is celebrated on a large scale by the people of the city. Many national and international visit the temples that have been located in the city.

Maha Shivratri Puja Timings 2021

Maha Shivratri 2021 is on March 11, 2021, i.e. Thursday. At this festival, the people remember Lord Shiva and do chanting day and night. They do fasting too.

The Puja Timings for Maha Shivratri

• Beginning of Chaturdashi Tithi: March 11, 2021 (2:39 pm)
• End of Chaturdashi Tithi: March 12, 2021 (03:02 pm)
• First Prahar Puja Ratri Timings: 6:27 pm to 9:29 pm
• Second Prahar Puja Ratri Timings: 9:29 pm to 12:31 pm (March 12, 2021)
• Third Prahar Puja Ratri Timings: 12:31 am to 3:32 pm (March 12, 2021)
• Fourth Prahar Puja Ratri Timings: 3:32 am to 6:34 am (March 12, 2021)
• Timings of Shivratri Parana: 6:34 am to 3:02 am

Maha Shivratri holds special significance in the Hindu religion. This festival is celebrated with enthusiasm in every part of India. The devotees of Lord Shiva do fasting and recite the mantra Om Namah Shivay to praise Lord Shiva. They perform the Vedic worship on this day. In religious places like Haridwar and Rishikesh, people go and take bath in the Ganga River and then do the prayers. At religious places in Nashik and Ujjain, people do special prayers Maha Shivratri.