Celebrating The Night Of Lord Shiva

Hi!Good Morning Everyone.This information is for people who donot know about the Hindu festival,MahaShivratri. Mahashivratri is a festival observed in honour of Lord Shiva and celebrated throughtout the country. Auspicious festival of Mahashivaratri falls on the 13th or the 14th night of the new moon during Krishna Paksha in the Hindu month of Phalgun. The Sanskrit term, Krishna Paksha means the period of waning moon or the dark fortnight and Phalguna corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Shivaratri Festival is celebrated on a moonless night.According to Hindu mythology, Shivaratri or 'Shiva's Great Night' symbolizes the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Many however, believe, Shivaratri is the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandava Nritya - the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. Shiva - the word meaning auspicious - is one of the Hindu Trinity, comprising of Lord Brahma, the creator, Lord Vishnu, the preserver and Lord Shiva or Mahesh, the Destroyer and Re-Producer of life. Shiva is known by many names like "Shankar", "Mahesh", "Bholenath", "Neelakanth", "Shambhu Kailasheshwar", "Umanath", "Nataraj" and others.The word "ratri" means night and this word in Sanskrit has such a functional meaning. Ratri or night is that which gives comfort to the mind, body and soul and Shivratri is that which brings such a deep sense of serenity and benevolence.
Devotees of Lord Shiva observe the Shivaratri Festival by following the prescribed rituals with sincerity and devotion. All through the day, devotees abstain from eating food and break their fast only the next morning, after the nightlong worship. Ritual baths of Shivalinga in the numerous Shiva temples by Shiva worshipper, mainly women, is another significant feature of Shivratri customs and traditions. Devotees strongly believe that ritual worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri absolves them of past sins and they are blessed with Moksha.As a tradition devotees wake up early in the morning of the Mahashivratri day and take a ritual sunrise bath, preferably in the holy waters of river Ganga. They also offer prayers to the Sun God, Vishnu and Shiva as a part of a purification rite observed on all-important Hindu festivals. After wearing fresh new clothes devotees visit the nearest Shiva Temple to give the customary bath to the Shivalinga. On a Shivratri day, Shiva temples are thronged by devotees, mainly women, who come to perform the traditional Shivalinga pooja and seek blessings from the god. At times there is so much rush in the temples that devotees have to wait for their turn to observe pooja. At their turn for worship, devotees circumambulate the Shivalinga, three or seven times, and then pour water over it. Some also pour milk. Sounds of bell and shouts of ‘Shankarji ki Jai’ or (Hail Shiva) reverberate in the temple premises.Following the rituals prescribed in the Shiva Purana, every three hours, Shivalingam is given a special bath with milk, yoghurt, honey, sandalwood paste and rose water. Puja, meditation and chanting of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ accompany the ritual bath. Following the bath, vermilion paste is applied on the linga. Traditionally, leaves of a forest tree Aegle marmelos (bilwa, maredu, wood apple) are used for Shiva puja. Thereafter, Bilwa leaves, which have to be a stalk with three leaves, is kept on top of the Shivalinga. Ber or jujube fruit is a special offering to the god on this day. Beetle leaves are also offered by some. Some also offer bilwa leaves in the belief that the Goddess Lakshmi resides in them. Others believe it is offered for its cooling effects on the hot-tempered deity. Many devotees also decorate the linga with flowers and garlands and offer incense sticks and fruit.
Festival of Mahashivaratri is the most important festival for the millions of devotees of Lord Shiva. The festival has been accorded lot of significance in Hindu mythology. It says that a devotee who performs sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivratri is absolved of sins and attains moksha. It is also considered to be an extremely significant festival by women. Married and unmarried women observe fast and perform Shiva Puja with sincerity to appease Goddess Parvati who is also regarded as ‘Gaura’ - one who bestows marital bliss and long and prosperous married life. Unmarried women also pray for a husband like Lord Shiva who is regarded as the ideal husband. Shivaratri Fast is considered to be the most important fast for the devotees of Lord Shiva. Shiva Purana goes on to say that if a devotee observes Shivaratri Vrata with sincerity, pure devotion and love he is blessed with the divine grace of Lord Shiva. Every year devotees observe Maha Shivaratri fast with devotion and sincerity. Though many go on a diet of fruits and milk, some do not consume even a drop of water all through the day and night of Shivaratri Festival. As a tradition, devotees who are on a strict fast on Shivaratri take bath with the water that is boiled with black sesame seeds to wash away bodily impurities. Aarthi and bhajans in praise of Lord Shiva are also sung to invoke his blessings. Devotee also light incense stick and ring temple bell to invoke the blessing of the large-hearted Lord Shiva.
It may be noted that unlike most other festivals, where after performing the Puja of the deity a feast follows, a Shivratri fast continues all through the day and night. Devotees observe an all night vigil while chanting the mantra, "Om Namah Shivaya" and singing devotional hymns and songs. Even during the night, Shiva Lings is given the holy bath every three hours. An offering of fruits is also made to the deity. There is also the tradition to listen to the recital of various legends and stories related to Shivaratri and Lord Shiva and to understand its deeper meanings. It is only in the following morning that a devotee breaks the fast by consuming the prasad offered to Lord Shankar.
The auspicious festival of Maha Shivaratri is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor all over India and even beyond. Though fasting and worship of Shiva Linga with a ritual bath remain the common feature of Shivaratri celebrations at all places, minor variations due to regional difference can be observed in some states.

The Abode Of Hundreds Of Bells

Few minutes back, my husband got a call from his friend,from Duliajan. This place holds a very important place in my heart, as I started the new chapter of my life with my hubby at this place. This is a important oil town of Assam,India and few kms from this town is the famous Tilinga Mandir. I really missed my temple visits on 12th Feb, ie on Shivratri. Its a Hindu festival observed in honour of Lord Shiva. When I first shifted to Duliajan my first priority was to visit this temple as I had heard a lot about it.This Shiv’s Temple or the famous “Tilinga Mandir” is nestled at Bordubi, a small town in Tinsukia District of Assam. It is 7 km from the oil town Duliajan. Tilinga means “bell” in Assamese and mandir means “temple”. This bell temple is as spiritually and mystically strong as any other temple I have ever visited or seen. There are hundreds and thousands of bells of all sizes in bronze, brass, copper and aluminum that’s tied to the big banyan tree (pipal) and its various branches. I was startled and bewildered by the vast and varied collection of bells that were hanging from its various branches. That’s how the temple is said to have got its name. There was also hundreds of Shiv tridents carelessly speared into the sand here and there. Most of them were packed together in one place, madly jutting out of the ground few feet away from the mystical tree.
I remember what Dhananjay Pande, the priest of the Tillinga Mandir, said about the tridents. According to him,they were left by the ascetic devotee of Lord Shiva who took rest under the tree while on their pilgrimage. As they rested under the pipal tree they felt a unique spiritual presence and they left their tridents as a testament to this mysterious encounter.Long ago one such ascetic unearthed a naturally formed black rock in the shape of a Shiva lingam, nestled among the roots of the tree. When news of the discovery got around people started coming to worship. The fame of the temple with its mysterious power, all of a sudden spreaded like wild fire when pilgrims discovered that wishes they expresses in prayer under the tree actually came true. In the beginning, devotees would express their gratitude by returning to hang a bell on the tree after their wishes had been fulfilled.Eventually, however the custom changed and pilgrims began to tie bells as they said their prayers and made their wishes.As told by the priest, about 65 years ago on the advice of the village elders, the owner of the land upon which the pipal tree is located donated the land. Since then hundreds and thousands of devotees have come with hopes, prayers and bells.
But with time, the way of offering prayer has changed. From oil diyas to candles and tying long red threads around the pipal tree, to the many small shops selling various puja items that has come up near the temple, the temple has seen all changes. But even today, the silence and stillness of the magic temple is broken only by the chanting of mantras, fluttering of birds and the numerous bells which hang from its branches. No one who has visited the Tillinga Mandir can deny the strong, unique and divine feeling that one experiences.
I can never forget this holy place where so many bells are tied to every reachable part of this lonely banyan tree shading a naturally formed Shiva Lingam. Even today, though I stay far away, I still remember the tranquility and serenity I experienced, the visits and bells that I tied and the smiles of the people as their wishes were fulfilled.
A pretty long one.....getting late and its time for sleep...Good Night friends!!!!