MahaShivratri is celebrated by millions of devotees of Lord Shiva all over the world. They buy all the puja samagris to perform the puja with perfection.
MahaShivratri is one of the most important rituals of India. This Hindu puja has been accorded a lot of importance in the Hindu mythology. With Mahashivratri puja, the devotees reach the abode of Shankar Mahadev and live there peacefully. It is also believed that the devotee will be set free from the birth and the death cycle. It is said that the devotees who perform the puja on this particular day sincerely are believed to attain moksha and are absolved of all sins. People buy each and every puja samagri for pleasing Lord Shiva and to seek his blessings.
Importance of MahaShivratri in Hindusim:-
There are several mythical tales that are associated with this puja. It is said that MahaShivratri is the auspicious night when Shankar Mahadev perfroms cosmic dance or nritya for preservation, creation, as well as destruction. Therefore, MahaShivratri is also marked by the dance festivals at several Hindu temples like Pattadakal, Khajuraho, Konark, Chidambaram, and Modhera. The classical dancers perform the tandava and lasya for venerating Lord Shiva.
Festivals or Hindu rituals like MahaShivratri has remarkable significance in the Hindu religion. According to the holy Hindu scriptures, this MahaShivratri puja of Lord Shiva falls on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the Phalgun month. Performing the puja on this specific day pleases the Lord the most as compared to worshipping him on the other days. This fact has been believed by the devotees since the ancient times.
Even till today, the devotees of the Lord performs the ritual with bhakti and purity in their hearts with all the puja samagris. They keep fasting the entire day, give sacred bath to Lord Shiva using Gangajal, milk, honey, etc and then offers him fruits, dhatoora flowers, betel leaves, and the other offerings one by one as per the instructions of the pandit.
Why Both Married and Unmarried Women performs the Puja?
Another story of MahaShivratri tells that on this night Maa Parvati got married to Shiva. It is also believed that Lord Shiva drank poison in order to save the universe from the ill effects. Shiva danced or performed the tandava to stay awake for the night. The poison did not harm him but his neck turned blue, which also explained the reason of giving the name ‘Neelkanth’ to him.
MahaShivratri is considered as one of the most significant pujas for every women irrespective of whether she is married or unmarried. The female devotees consider this puja extremely powerful and auspicious to either seek for blessings to get a husband like Lord Shiva or for the long life and well being of the husbands. The married women do fasting and worship the Lord with complete devotion to appease Maa Parvati or Maa Gauri as well as Lord Shiva to get bestowed with marital bliss and a long and a prosperous married life.