Celebrating Shiva: Unique traditions of Mahashivratri

Exploring diverse celebrations across India

Mahashivratri, one of the most significant Hindu festivals, honours Shiva and is celebrated with diverse traditions across India. Though the core theme of devotion for Shiva remains the same, each region has its unique customs, rituals, and cultural performances.

Mahashivratri, the biggest festivals celebrated in honour of Lord Shiva, a Hindu deity, is observed across the country, but with a tweak in many regions as the traditions associated with this day vary across the country’s diverse regions, each with its own customs.

While the specific rituals and ceremonies may differ from one region to another, the central theme of devotion and reverence for Shiva unites them all.

Common practices such as fasting, staying awake through the night on the eve of the festival, chanting sacred mantras, and offering prayers are traditions that transcend regional boundaries, creating a shared sense of spirituality and devotion.

Uttar Pradesh

The Kashi Vishwanath temple, located in one of the holiest cities in India, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh which is also believed to be home to one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the most sacred abodes of Shiva, becomes one of the focal points of Mahashivratri celebrations in India.

Devotees here take a dip in the Ganga River before heading to the Kashi Vishwanath temple to offer prayers.

A unique tradition in Varanasi is the Rudrabhishekam ritual, where the Shiva lingam, a cylindrical symbol of the Hindu god Shiva is bathed with milk, honey, ghee, and water, and the Shiva tandava dance is performed by priests and devotees.

People also visit the famous neighbouring temples like Sankat Mochan and Durga, while chanting mantras and offering flowers.

Tamil Nadu

 

Mahashivratri is celebrated with great enthusiasm at the Annamalaiyar temple in Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. Devotees take part in the girivalam, a ritualistic walk of 14 km around the sacred Arunachala Hill, which is believed to represent Lord Shiva Himself. Many devotees embark on this journey barefoot.

In some other parts of the state, the festival is celebrated with the worship of Nandi, Shiva’s vehicle. The night is spent in chanting the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra and Om Namah Shivaya chants.

The state also sees various cultural performances, includKoothuing , a traditional Tamil dance and Bhajans, spiritual songs dedicated to Shiva.

In some places, the festival extends into a day of fasting, and people stay awake throughout the night to perform rituals.

Madhya Pradesh

Ujjain is home to one of the most revered temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Mahakaleshwar Temple. During Mahashivratri, the temple sees the performance of Bhasma Aarti, which is a unique and rare tradition as here the idol of Shiva is bathed in sacred ash.

Devotees take part in the Kumbh Mela, if it is a Kumbh year that happens during Mahashivratri and organise large processions, chanting, and offering prayers.

Himachal Pradesh 

In the Himalayan regions, Mahashivratri is often celebrated by trekking to ancient Shiva temples in the mountains. The Mandi Fair, also referred to as the ‘Shivratri Fair,’ is a week-long celebration, beginning on the day of Mahashivratri. It is believed that this tradition, in Mandi, about 150 km north of capital Shimla, dates back to the 16th century.

The fair sees hundreds of local deities, known as devtas, carried in palanquins to the Bhootnath temple to pay their respects to Shiva. This unique congregation of gods and goddesses is truly a sight to behold.

Devotees also participate in yajnas ritual sacrifices and stay in the temple overnight, engaging in bhajans, chanting, and prayers.

Kashmir

In Kashmir, Mahashivratri is celebrated as Herath, a festival that lasts for several days. The highlight of the celebration is the preparation of a special dish called watuk, made with fish, mutton, and greens, symbolising wealth and prosperity.

Herath is derived from the Sanskrit word hararatri, meaning the night of Hara, another name for Shiva. The festival is deeply rooted in Kashmiri culture, with the rituals being performed with great devotion in every household.

Devotees also perform the vatuk puja, a ritual that is unique to Kashmiri Pandits.

Karnataka

In Karnataka, Mahashivratri is specially celebrated at Jog Falls with grand jagarana, night vigil.

Devotees stay awake throughout the night, singing bhajans and performing traditional dances such as the veeragase, a dynamic dance form dedicated to Shiva.

Jog Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in India, becomes a centre of activity during Mahashivratri.  The surrounding temples, particularly the Mahabaleshwar temple in Gokarna, witness a significant increase in pilgrim visits.

Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, especially in Pune about 160 east of Mumbai, devotees perform abhishekam, ritual bathing of Shiva’s idol with honey, milk, and water, and offer bilva leaves, considered sacred to Shiva.

In some parts of Maharashtra, especially in the villages, a special tradition is followed where villagers gather in temples at midnight to sing traditional bhajans and devotional songs while performing pujas.