Festival guide
Maha Shivaratri 2022
महा शिवरात्रि
Maha Shivaratri, the Great Night of Shiva, is the most sacred night dedicated to Lord Shiva.
- Date
- Tue, 1 March 2022
- Main muhurat
- Nishita Kaal Puja · 11:45 pm – 12:34 am (next day)
Plan the day
Good times and times to avoid
· Varanasi time (IST)
Auspicious windows
- Abhijit Muhurat47m
- Brahma Muhurta49m
- Amrit Kalam1h 30m
Times to avoid
- Dur Muhurta47m
- Yama Gandam1h 27m
- Rahu Kaal1h 27m
- Dur Muhurta49m
Sun and moon
- Sunrise
- 6:21 am
- Sunset
- 5:59 pm
- Moonrise
- 6:17 am
- Moonset
- 4:33 pm
The festival day's almanac
Panchang for Tue, 1 March
- Tithi
- Chaturdashi, then Amavasya
- Nakshatra
- Dhanishta
- Yoga
- Parigha
- Karana
- Vishti
- Paksha
- Krishna
- Masa
- Phalguna
- Tithi
- ChaturdashiFrom Until Then Amavasyauntil
- Nakshatra
- DhanishtaFrom Until
Choghadiya, day and night
Day
- RogAvoid
- UdvegAvoid
- ChalNeutral
- LabhGood
- AmritGood
- KaalAvoid
- ShubhGood
- RogAvoid
Night
- KaalAvoid
- LabhGood
- UdvegAvoid
- ShubhGood
- AmritGood
- ChalNeutral
- RogAvoid
- KaalAvoid
The story
Maha Shivaratri: significance and rituals
It marks the night when Shiva performed the cosmic dance (Tandava) and is celebrated with night-long vigil, fasting, and worship.
Rituals
Observe fast from sunrise. Perform Shiva Puja during four prahar of the night with milk, curd, honey, and ghee abhishek. Chant Om Namah Shivaya. Offer bel patra, dhatura, and blue flowers.
Fasting
Strict 24-hour fast, often nirjala. Some consume only fruits and milk. Fast is broken the next morning after puja.
Local colour
Maha Shivaratri in Varanasi
Varanasi, the city of Shiva, celebrates Maha Shivaratri with unmatched fervor. Kashi Vishwanath Temple sees millions of devotees. A grand procession (Shahi Sawari) of Lord Shiva passes through the lanes of the old city. Every Shiva temple in Varanasi is illuminated and packed with worshippers.
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