Mahashivratri means the ‘great night of Shiva’. Worshipping Lord Shiva on this special day is believed to relieve you from all sorts of suffering. Mahashivratri is celebrated annually on the 13th and 14th day of the dark fortnight of the Phalguna month. On this day, Shiva temples are decorated with fresh flowers, lights, diyas and you can see people waiting in long queues to get a glimpse of the almighty.

According to the Hindu religious texts, worshipping Lord Mahadev on this auspicious day will fill your lives with happiness, prosperity, peace, good health, and frees you from debts. Those going through the ill effects of the afflicted planets like Rahu and Ketu or there is a problem in married life or delays in marriage, these people are advised to worship Lord Shiva especially on the day of Mahashivratri.

People worshipping Lord Shiva on Mahashivratri will enjoy various benefits like

• You will be protected from all kinds of negative spirits.
• The bad influence of malefic planets will be eradicated.
• Childless couples will be blessed with a healthy progeny.
• It relieves you from miserliness.
• You will be relieved from the sufferings of chronic diseases

Mahashivratri is regarded to be the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. According to the legends, this was the very day when Lord Shiva protected the whole universe from the harmful effects of the “halahala” (poison) that came out of the milky ocean during samudra manthan.

There is another mythological story related to Mahashivratri wherein Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu were in an argument as to who is the supreme among them and there emerged Lord Shiva in a huge form engulfed in fire stretched into infinity. This left Lord Vishnu and Brahma amazed and realised that Lord Shiva was the most supreme.

Mahashivratri puja is performed with utmost sincerity and as per the rituals mentioned in the holy scriptures. Devotees on this day visit shivalayas early in the morning and perform puja. Holy materials like milk, flowers, bel leaves, honey, vibhuti etc are offered to the lingam and powerful Shiva panchakshari mantra “Om Namah Shivaya '' is chanted rigorously and hymns are sung. People observe fast on the day of Mahashivratri and stay awake the whole night singing bhajans and reciting mantras.