Shivaratri Festival of India

Mahashivratri is the night of Shiva, and this festival is celebrated all over India. It is a very important festival for the Hindus. Lord Shiva is worshipped on this auspicious day. According to Hindu calendars, this year (2018) Maha Shivratri Festival is celebrated on 13th February .

Lord Shiva is worshipped in 108 names. Some of them are Neelakanta, Shankar, Nataraja, Pashupathi, Maheswar etc. The devotees of Lord Shiva observe this festival with great devotion. Fasting and prayers are the more important parts of this festival. They observe fasting the whole day and the night, visiting Shiva temples and chanting the names of Lord Shiva .

According to legends, Lord Shiva performed Thandava Nrithya on the Maha Shivaratri night. It is believed that Goddess Parvati performed tapas and prayers on the auspicious moonless night of Shivaratri to ward off any evil that may befall her husband. Hence, on this auspicious day, the married women pray for the health and happiness of their husbands and the unmarried girls pray for getting good husband like Shiva, the ideal husband of Parvathi.

People also send Mahashivaratri greeting cards to their loved ones. The devotees offer coconut, Bilva leaves, fruits and naivedhyam (special food prepared for the occasion) to Lord Shiva.

It is believed that Lord Shiva appeared in the form of light or fire, which are called Jyothir Lingas, in twelve holy places in India.

1) Somnath Temple, Gujarat
2) Mallikarjuna Temple, Andhra Pradesh
3) Mahakaleshwara Temple, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
4) Omkareshwar Temple, Madhya Pradesh
5) Vaidyanath Temple, Deogarh, Bihar
6) Bhimashankar Temple near Pune in Maharashtra
7) Rameshwaram Temple, Tamil Nadu
8) Nageshwar Temple, Dwarka, Gujarat
9) Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi
10) Trimbakeshwar Temple, Nasik, Maharashtra
11) Kedarnath Temple, Himalayas
12) Grishneshwar Temple, Daulatabad, Maharashtra

It is believed that those who chant the Jyotir Linga Stotram on this day will attain salvation.

In Kerala, Shivaratri is celebrated with great pomp in Shiva Temple at Aluva, on the bank of River Periyar. In Andhra Pradesh, devotees of Lord Shiva throng Sri Kalahasteshwara Temple at Kalahasti and the Bharamarambha Malikarjunaswamy Temple at Srisailam. In Tamil Nadu, Shivaratri celebration is famous in Chidambaram temple and Rameshwaram Temple. In Karnataka, the Srikanteshwara temple in Nanjangud and Someshwara Temple in Bangalore attract devotees in large numbers.

Om Parashu Hastaya Namaha
Om Mrigapanayae Namaha
Om Jatadharya Namaha
Om Kailasavasine Namaha
Om Kavachine Namaha
Om Kathoraya Namaha
Om Tripurantakaya Namaha
Om Vrishankaya Namaha
Om Vrishabharudhaya Namaha
Om Bhasmoddhulita Vigrahaya Namaha
Om Samapriyaya Namaha
Om Svaramayaya Namaha
Om Trayimurtaye Namaha
Om Anishivaraya Namaha
Om Sarvagyaya Namaha
Om Paramatmane Namaha
Om Somasurangni Namaha
Om Paramatmae Namaha
Om Somasuragni Lochanaya Namaha
Om Havishe Namaha
Om Yagyamayaya Namaha
Om Somaya Namaha Namaha
Om Panchavaktraya Namaha
Om Sadashivaya Namaha
Om Vishveshvaraya Namaha
Om Virabhadraya Namaha
Om Gananathaya Namaha
Om Prajapataye Namaha
Om Hiranaretase Namaha
Om Durdharshaya Namaha

Om Shivaya Namaha
Om Maheshvaraya Namaha
Om Shambhave Namaha
Om Pinakine Namaha
Om Shashishekharaya Namaha
Om Vamadevaya Namaha
Om Virupakshaya Namaha
Om Kapardine Namaha
Om Nilalohitaya Namaha
Om Shankaraya Namaha
Om Shulpanaye Namaha
Om Khatvangine Namaha
Om Vishnuvallabhaya Namaha
Om Shipivishtaya Namaha
Om Ambikanathaya Namaha
Om Shrikantaya Namaha
Om Bhtavatsalya Namaha
Om Bhavaya Namaha
Om Sarvaya Namaha
Om Trilokeshaya Namaha
Om Shitakanthaya Namaha
Om Ugraya Namaha
Om Kapaline Namaha
Om Kamaraye Namaha
Om Andhakasura Sudanaya Namaha
Om Gangadharaya Namaha
Om Lalatakshaya Namaha
Om Kalakalya Namaha
Om Kripanidhaye Namaha
Om Bhimaya Namaha

Om Mridaya Namaha
Om Pashupataye Namaha
Om Devaya Namaha
Om Mahadevaya Namaha Namaha
Om Pashupataye Namaha
Om Avyayaya Namaha
Om Haraye Namaha
Om Pashudantabhide Namaha
Om Avyagraya Namaha
Om Dakshadhvaraharaya Namaha

Om Haraya Namaha
Om Bhaganetrabhide Namaha
Om Avyaktaya Namaha
Om Sahasrakshaya Namaha
Om Apavargapradya Namaha
Om Anantaya Namaha
Om Tarakaya Namaha
Om Parameshvaraya Namaha

Om Girishaya Namaha
Om Anaghaya Namaha
Om Bhujangabhushanaya Namaha
Om Bhargaya Namaha
Om Giridhanvane Namaha
Om Giripriyaya Namaha
Om Krittivasase Namaha
Om Purarataye Namaha
Om Bhagavate Namaha
Om Pramathadhipaya Namaha
Om Mritunjayaya Namaha
Om Sukshmatanave Namaha
Om Jagadvyapine Namaha
Om Jagadgurave Namaha
Om Vyomakeshaya Namaha
Om Mahasenajanaya Namaha
Om Charuvikramaya Namaha
Om Rudraya Namaha
Om Bhutapataye Namaha
Om Sthanave Namaha
Om Abhirbudhnyaya Namaha
Om Digambaraya Namaha
Om Ashtamurtaye Namaha
Om Anekatmane Namaha
Om Satvikaya Namaha
Om Shuddha Vigrahaya Namaha
Om Shashvataya Namaha
Om Khandaparashave Namaha
Om Ajaya Namaha
Om Papavimochakaya Namaha