One of the biggest Indian festivals Maha Shivratri is just around the corner. The festival that falls on March 7 this year is special in its own way. Here we tell you the various interesting mythological stories about why Shivratri is celebrated, why this year’s Shivratri is super auspicious, what is to be done on this day, and many more.

Maha Shivratri is one of the biggest Hindu festivals in the country that is celebrated with much fervour. With celebrations taking place in different parts of the country, it is a day that is considered very auspicious and people offer their prayers to lord Shiva with all their heart to seek his divine blessings. The festival itself means the night of Shiva.

When does it occur?

As per the classical text Nirnaya Sindhu, Maha Shivratri is observed on the 13th night/14th day of the 11th Hindu month of Phalguna or Maagh (February-March) every year.

Why is it celebrated?

There are few intriguing facts about this auspicious occasion.

• There are various interesting mythological stories about why Shivratri is celebrated. One such story is that the formless God appeared in the form of ‘Lingodbhav Moorti’ at midnight on Maha Shivratri and this is said to be the reason why devotees stay awake at night and offer prayers to the Lord.
• Maha Shivratri is said to be the day when Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati. Thus it marks the convergence of two greatest forces of the Universe i.e. lord Shiva and goddess Parvati.
• It is believed that Hindu devotees stay awake all night to give company to God Shiva, who was not supposed to fall sleep after drinking the ocean poison after Samudra Manthan.

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How is it celebrated?

Thousands of devotees take a holy dip at various pilgrim destinations on this occasion. They offer prayers and also witness the Rudra Abhishekam of the Almighty. The day is also observed with devotees smearing their bodies with ash.

Devotees also celebrate the festival by fasting and offering special prayers to Lord Shiva, the god of creation and destruction. As devotees pray to the Lord, they chant “Om Namah Shivaya!” throughout the night.

When to Celebrate Maha Shivratri 2016?

There is a mahurat or auspicious time for every pooja and the same goes for this festival too. This year, the time for Mahashivratri begins at 1.20 pm on March 7. This is the Chaturdashi Tithi which marks the time for devotees to take sankalp and observing the fast without any interference. You can start your fast by this time.

Since the prayer rituals take place in the night, there is a time for that too. In the evening, the mahurat starts from 6.42 pm for the prayers.

Many staunch Shiva devotees pray throughout the night. They pray four times in the night in every prahar. Here is the auspicious time for every prahar.

• First prahar : 6.42 pm to 9.26 pm
• Second prahar: 9.26 pm to 12.31 am
• Third prahar: 12.31 am to 3.36 am
• Fourth prahar: 3.36 am to 6.42 am

The Chaturdashi Tithi ends on March 8 at 10.34 am. Devotees should take a bath after their prayer rituals and then break their fast before the tithi time ends.

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What is to be done on Maha Shivratri 2016?

This traditional celebration is followed by observing fast for the entire day. On Maha Shivratri, devotees will eat only once in the entire day and then worship at the night of Chaturdashi. Vedic science advises us to observe a fast and spend the day in prayer and meditation, to prepare the body and mind to receive the huge influx of spiritual energy. The highly charged atmosphere makes meditation effortless, allowing us to leap easily into higher states of awareness. On this night, the whole universe seems to support us for this experience.

Most powerful fast

In accordance with Hindu Mythology, observing the fast on the day of Maha Shivratri is considered to be the most powerful among all other fasts. It is believed that the person, who worships Lord Shiva with complete devotion on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, his actions gets controlled.

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While observing this Maha Shivaratri fast, most of the people go on a fruit and milk diet.

The festival of Mahashivratri is celebrated by offering certain things like Bael leaves to the idol of Lord Shiva.

Why is it special this year?

However what makes the festival special this year is that as per Nirnaya Sindhu, Shivratri Vrat this year will begin one day prior to Shivaratri, which is in fact a good omen for those observing this fast.

Hence this year, the Shivratri is an extremely auspicious one and those observing the fast can hope for a good life ahead.