Shivaratri Festival

Shivaratri Festival

The Shivaratri Festival is the most important festival of the Hindus. Millions of devotees of Lord Shiva participate in the festival to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.
Shivaratri Festival holds a significant position in the Hindu mythology. According to the Hindu mythology a devotee performing sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the holy occasion of Shivratri is absolved of sins and attains salvation. Celebrated for fifteen days the Shivaratri Festival attracts tourists from different parts of the globe.

Mythological background of the Shivaratri Festival- According to ancient Hindu mythology, during Samudra Manthan or churning of the ocean a pot of poison emerged from the ocean. Lord Shiva in order to save the whole world drank the deadly poison and held it in his throat which is why he was widely known as Nilkantha. Shivaratri Festival is the celebration of this particular day when Lord Shiva saved the whole world.

Overview of the Shivaratri Festival-

Lord Shiva is one amongst the three Gods of Hindu Trinity. Celebrated with much zeal and fervor, Shivarathri Festival is an occasion when young girls observe fast and worship Lord Shiva. In West Bengal, Shivratri Festival attains the color of a folk festival. Shivratri Festival is observed with great grandeur at the temple of Tarakeshwar where bare footed pilgrims come carrying containers of Ganga water and bathes the stone image of the Lord Shiva with milk, curd, honey and with green leaves of the Bel tree.
The phallic symbol of Lord Shiva is also decorated with garlands of flowers and worshipped with elaborate rituals. The ardent devotees of Lord Shiva meditate, pray, sing and recite hymns in praise of Lord Shiva. Celebrated in the month of February Shivratri Festival is hugely popular amongst the Bengali Hindus. The Shivaratri Festival is also the time when pilgrims from different parts of the globe visit the twelve Jyotirlinga to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.

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