Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in reverence of The Lord Shiva. The Maha Shivratri festival, also popularly known as 'Shivratri' marks the convergence of Shiva and Shakti.
Maha Shivratri is celebrated on the Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi of Hindu calendar month Maagha which falls in February or March as per the Gregorian calendar.
On this night, the northern hemisphere of the planet is positioned in such a way that there is a natural upsurge of energy in a human being. This is a day when nature is pushing one towards one’s spiritual peak. It is to make use of this, that in this tradition, we establish a certain festival which is night-long. One of the fundamentals of this night-long festival is to ensure that – to allow this natural upsurge of energies to find their way – you remain with your spine vertical – you stay awake.
The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael leaves to Shiva, all-day fasting and an all-night-vigil (jagaran). All through the day, devotees chant "Om NamahShivaya", the sacred mantra of Shiva. The benefits of powerful ancient Sanskrit mantras such as Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra increase greatly on this night.
Maha Shivratri programme at ashram (tentative timings)
Date: 1st March 2022
|
Time |
Pooja |
|
6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. |
Sri Someshwar Mahadev Rudrabhishek Pooja |
|
9:00 a.m. to 12.00 noon |
Trishati Laghurudra Yajna |
|
12:00 noon to 12:30 p.m. |
Maha Aarti |
|
12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
Nritya (Dance performance) |
|
3:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. |
Shiv Mahimna Stotra chanting |
|
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
Shiv Mahapoojan, Rudrabhishek Pooja, Aarti |
|
7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
Shiv-lila dance performance |
|
7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. |
Shiv Bhajans |
|
8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. |
Prasad / Rest time |
|
10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. |
Dwitiya Prahar Rudrabhishek Pooja |
|
12:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. |
Tritiya Prahar Rudrabhishek Pooja |
|
3:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. |
Chaturth Prahar Rudrabhishek Pooja |