About this Holiday
Maha Shivaratri, the Great Night of Shiva, is one of the most significant festivals in Hinduism, celebrated on the 14th night of the waning moon in the month of Phalguna. Devotees observe strict fasts, stay awake through the night (jagaran), and offer bel leaves, milk, and water to Lord Shiva's lingam. The festival marks the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandava (cosmic dance) and when Shiva and Goddess Parvati are believed to have been married. Major temples like Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath and the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines draw millions of pilgrims on this night.