Shivaratri festival being celebrated today with great zeal

KATHMANDU: Maha Shivaratri is widely celebrated in temples across the country every year on the day of Krishna Chaturdashi at midnight, particularly at the Pashupatinath temple.

Thousands of devotees throns to the nearby Shiva Shakti Peetham as well. All over the country, holy rituals are performed.

At midnight on the day of Falgun Krishna Chaturdashi, Brahman takes the form of Shiva, and there is a scriptural promise that if one worships, adores, on the day of Chaturdashi at midnight, one will attain happiness, peace, and prosperity in this world.

Since this morning, followers of the Vedic Sanatan Hindu religion have been bathing in rivers, ponds, and lakes.

This festival, named after Shiva’s birth night, is mentioned in scriptures such as the Shiva Purana as one of the four major nights known as Kalaratri, Moharatri, Sukharatri, and Shivaratri.

This festival, which takes place on the day of Falgun Krishna Chaturdashi, is also known as the dearest day of Lord Shiva, Ashutosh, who brought religion to the hearts of the poor and miserable beings.

Shivaratri is said to be celebrated in the month of Magh (Jan/Feb), when the trees, plants, and grasses that are growing due to Mahadev’s Rudratva, i.e. the element of weeping or destroying the world, begin to grow in Falgun due to Mahadev’s Shivatva (element for the welfare of the world).

Today, on Mahashivaratri, the best of the fasts, devotees purify themselves, worship Shiva in the temple, fast, and offer milk, dhaturo, and belpatra, Lord Shiva’s favorite items. There is a religious belief that one should not go to Yamalok after fasting and staying awake all night on this festival day.

In addition to the four types of worship at Pashupatinath at four o’clock in the morning, Mahadeep, Akhanddeep, Lakshyabatti, and Dipotsav, as well as Lakh Belpatra, are offered on this day, which is a national cultural festival.

In the music ashrams of Kailashkut and Kiranteshwar, classical dances are performed.

On Maha Shivaratri, married women pray for their husbands’ well-being, while unmarried women pray for a husband like Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband. Shiva is also revered as the Adi Guru (first teacher) from whom divine wisdom flows.

Pilgrims from all over the country, including neighboring India, visit the Pashupatinath Temple today to pay homage to

Lord Mahadev and celebrate the Shivaratri festival. Shiva temples across the country are also crowded with visitors.