K.A.Viswanathan
Mumbai: Maha Shivaratri is known as one of the most celebrated religious festivals for Hindus. All Shiva temples across the country were reverberated with the chants of “ Om Namashivaya”. It is one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated with great enthusiasm. This festival was celebrated on February 21 on the new moon day in the Krishna Paksha in the month of Phalguna or Maagha according to the Hindu calendar. Out of the 12 Shivaratris in the year, the Mahashivaratri is considered to be the most auspicious one.
In Mumbai the devotees visited nearby Shiva temple to offer pooja with milk , Dhahi and Vilwa leaves to Shiva Linga , a symbol for the worship of Lord Shiva, It is believed that the people who fast on this day and night and offer prayers to Lord Shiva get peace and prosperity in their life.
According to a legend , after the Earth was faced with an imminent destruction, Goddess Parvati pledged with Lord Shiva to save the world. Pleased with her prayers, Lord Shiva agreed to save the world on the pretext that the people of the Earth would have to worship him with dedication and passion. From that day onwards, the night came to be known as Mahashivratri and people began worshipping Shiva with a great enthusiasm. Shiva is considered as the ideal husband and unmarried girls and women pray for a husband like Him.
According to another popular legend, Maha Shivaratri is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation and destruction.
The Mahasivaratri is divided into four Yaamas. All temples with Shiva Linga perform Rudra Japam , Rudra homam during the day. The first Yaama begins in the evening when Mahanyasa Rudra Japam is performed. During this period Lord Brahma is believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva and in the second Yaama Lord MahaVishnu worshipped Shiva. The second Yaama starts from night and continues with other two Yaamas till early morning the next day and ends before Sunrise. During the third Yaama, Shiva comes in the form of Linga and is called “ Lingothbhava” and in the fourth Yaama the entire world of Gods and Rishis were believed to have worshipped the Lord. During the Yaamas the Linga is bathed with Holy water, milk, Chandan, bhasma, coconut water, Dhahi , sugarcane juice , honey and Vilwa leaves with chanting of ‘Om Namashivaya’.
The Sankara Mattham at Matunga had made elaborate arrangements for the eventful night . Devotees from different parts of Mumbai participated in Laksharchana with Vilwa leaves – with the chanting of Om Namashivaya one lakh times. Maha Deeparadhana was performed early morning after all four Yaamas.
Mahashivratri is not only celebrated in India but also in Nepal and other regions where Lord Shiva is worshipped. Among the various popular shrines, Amarnath temple or Mount Amarnath (about 140 km from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir) is believed to be the holiest in Hinduism. Surrounded by fascinating mountainous terrains and picturesque snowy mountains this shrine remains crowded by pilgrims throughout the year especially on Mahashivaratri.
