About Maha Shivaratri
Falls on Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi of Phalguna month. Devotees fast and stay awake through the night performing Shiva puja in four prahara (watches of the night).
Significance
Maha Shivaratri marks the night Shiva is worshipped as the cosmic destroyer and transformer, and devotees seek to overcome ignorance and darkness through all-night vigil and meditation.
History & story
Various legends mark the night — Shiva's cosmic dance (tandava), his marriage to Parvati, and the night he drank the halahala poison churned from the ocean to save creation, turning his throat blue (earning him the name Neelkantha).
Muhurat (2027)
Four prahara puja windows from sunset to sunrise. Nishita kaal (midnight) is the most auspicious.
Rituals & observances
- ◆Nirjala fast
- ◆All-night vigil
- ◆Four prahara puja
- ◆Bilva patra and milk abhishek
- ◆Mahamrityunjaya chanting
Regional variations
Pan-Indian. Major pilgrimage at Varanasi, Ujjain, Somnath.
Maha Shivaratri — every year
The date shifts each year on the Gregorian calendar because it follows the Hindu lunar-solar cycle.