Maha Shivratri: Tale Of A Marriage That Broke Conventions

Maha Shivratri is celebrated on the Chaturdashi Tithi of Krishna Paksha in Phalgun Month according to the Hindu Lunar Calendar followed in North India. It is an auspicious festival of the Hindu religion and is celebrated across the country with immense enthusiasm. In some places in India, Maha Shivratri is observed as a holiday. This year Maha Shivratri will be celebrated on February 26, 2025. Etymologically, Shivratri means the night of Lord Shiva.

Shivratri is usually celebrated every month but Maha Shivratri is celebrated annually in the month of Phalgun. Read about the types of Shivratri here.

How it is celebrated:

On this day, devotees observe fast and flock to the Lord Shiva’s temple and perform the ritual of jalabhishek on the shiva ling. As a part of the ritual, devotees offer milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water. They also offer flowers and fruits as prasad and light diyas and incense sticks. The puja in the temples continues throughout the day and night of Maha Shivratri.
The celebration of Maha Shivratri differs in different states of India. In Southern Karnataka, children are allowed the freedom to indulge in mischief and then apologise and ask for punishment. Whereas in Kerala, the Brahmans celebrate this day as the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati and begin the festivities 3-4 days earlier. Moreover, not only in India but Maha Shivratri is celebrated in the West Indies also. The country has over 400 temples of Lord Shiva.

On this day unmarried women fast to find a groom like Lord Shiva who is seen as the ideal man. And married women fast for the welfare of their husband and children. But some men too observe this fast for their and their family's welfare.

The Story Behind Maha Shivratri

It is believed that on this day, Lord Shiva appeared in the form of linga and hence the day has been signified as the birthday of Lord Shiva or the Shiva Linga. The Shiva Linga was first worshipped by Lord Vishnu and Brahma and the tradition is being continued till today.

There is another story corroborating the importance of the day. It is believed that on this day during Samudra Manthan (churning of ocean that took place when God and Asuras were at war), Lord Shiva swallowed all the poison and held it in his throat, making it blue. Hence he is addressed as Neelkanth.

Besides, it is also believed that on Shivaratri, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married.

Legend has it that Maha Shivratri is the night when Lord Shiva performs the Tandava, his dance of creation, preservation, and destruction. This cosmic performance is said to keep the universe in check.

Watching from the feminist lens:

It is important to note that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati's marriage broke conventions. It was a marriage in which a woman proposed her love to the man first. Moreover, Goddess Parvati went against her parents' choice and her lineage to marry a man of her own choice. So isn't the divine couple a symbol of liberal marriage?

Their union symbolises the perfect blend of consciousness, feminine and masculine energy. Devotees celebrate this night to honour their cosmic partnership, aiming to achieve balance in their own lives.

What does lingam represent

The cylindrical shape of the lingam is said to represent the infinite nature of the universe, without beginning or end. It’s often placed in a yoni, or a circular base, which represents the goddess Parvati (Shakti). And together, the Lingam and Yoni signify the union of masculine and feminine energies. This cosmic balance of Shiva and Shakti represents creation, harmony, and the flow of life.
However, there is a common misconception that the Shiva Lingam is purely a phallic symbol. The Lingam, when understood fully, stands for creation, preservation, and dissolution — that is the eternal cycle of the universe.It as a reminder that all things are created, sustained, and ultimately transformed for better.

This Maha Shivratri, let us embrace Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati as the embodiment of liberal humans with the right to choose.

Views expressed by the author are their own.