Maha Shivaratri

Explanatory note
	Hindu festival dates The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements: māsa (lunar month), pakṣa (lunar fortnight) and tithi (lunar day). Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz. amānta / pūrṇimānta. If a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa. A lunar year is shorter than a solar year by about eleven days. As a result, most Hindu festivals occur on different days in successive years on the Gregorian calendar.
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Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri
	Meditating Shiva statue on Maha-Shivaratri
Observed by	Hindus
Type	Religious
Significance	Commemoration of the wedding of Shiva and Parvati; Veneration of the Tandava dance of Shiva; Manifestation of the lingam
Observances	Fasting; Self-study; Jagarana; Lingam puja; Yoga;
Date	Magha Krishna Chaturdashi
2024 date	8 March
2025 date	26 February
Frequency	Annual

Maha Shivaratri (Sanskrit: महाशिवरात्रि, romanized: Mahāśivarātri, lit. 'The Great Night of Shiva') is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the deity Shiva, between February and March.^[7] According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed on the fourteenth day of the first half (night start with darkness - waning) of the lunar month of Phalguna.^[7]^[8] The festival commemorates the wedding of Shiva and Parvati,^[9] and the occasion that Shiva performs his divine dance, called the Tandava.^[10]^[11]

It is a notable festival in Hinduism, marking a remembrance of "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva.^[8] Ardent devotees stay awake throughout this night. Others visit one of the Shiva temples or go on a pilgrimage to the Jyotirlingams. The festival is believed to have originated in 5th century BCE.^[8]

In Kashmir Shaivism, the festival is called Har-ratri or phonetically simpler Haerath or Herath by Shiva devotees of the Kashmir region.^[12]^[13]

^ Stephen Knapp (2012), Hindu Gods & Goddesses, Jaico Publishing House, India, ISBN 9788184953664, page 110
^ Melton, J. Gordon (2011). Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. ABC-CLIO. pp. 541–542. ISBN 978-1-59884-206-7.
^ "2024 Hindu Festivals".
^ "Mahashivratri". 27 December 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
^ "2022 Hindu Festivals Calendar, Hindu Tyohar Calendar for Mumbai, Maharashtra, India".
^ LLP, Adarsh Mobile Applications. "2021 Maha Shivaratri | Shivratri Date and Time for New Delhi, NCT, India". Drikpanchang.
^ ^a ^b Lochtefeld, James G. (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z. Rosen. p. 637. ISBN 978-0-8239-3180-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c Jones, Constance; D. Ryan, James (2006). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. p. 269. ISBN 978-0-8160-7564-5.
^ Coulter, Charles Russell; Turner, Patricia (6 December 2021). Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities. McFarland. p. 428. ISBN 978-0-7864-9179-7.
^ Cite error: The named reference Dhoraisingam35 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Om Prakash Juneja; Chandra Mohan (1990). Ambivalence: Studies in Canadian Literature. Allied. pp. 156–157. ISBN 978-81-7023-109-7.
^ Brunn, Stanley D. (2015). The Changing World Religion Map: Sacred Places, Identities, Practices and Politics. Springer. pp. 402–403. ISBN 978-94-017-9376-6.
^ Maitra, Asim (1986). Religious Life of the Brahman: A Case Study of Maithil Brahmans. Munshilal. p. 125. ISBN 978-81-210-0171-7.

[SK-1] Stephen Knapp (2012), Hindu Gods & Goddesses, Jaico Publishing House, India, ISBN 9788184953664, page 110

[Melton2011p541-2] Melton, J. Gordon (2011). Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. ABC-CLIO. pp. 541–542. ISBN 978-1-59884-206-7.

[3] "2024 Hindu Festivals".

[4] "Mahashivratri". 27 December 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2022.

[5] "2022 Hindu Festivals Calendar, Hindu Tyohar Calendar for Mumbai, Maharashtra, India".

[6] LLP, Adarsh Mobile Applications. "2021 Maha Shivaratri | Shivratri Date and Time for New Delhi, NCT, India". Drikpanchang.

[:0-7] Lochtefeld, James G. (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z. Rosen. p. 637. ISBN 978-0-8239-3180-4.

[JonesRyan2006p269-8] Jones, Constance; D. Ryan, James (2006). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. p. 269. ISBN 978-0-8160-7564-5.

[9] Coulter, Charles Russell; Turner, Patricia (6 December 2021). Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities. McFarland. p. 428. ISBN 978-0-7864-9179-7.

[Dhoraisingam35-10] Cite error: The named reference Dhoraisingam35 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[auto1-11] Om Prakash Juneja; Chandra Mohan (1990). Ambivalence: Studies in Canadian Literature. Allied. pp. 156–157. ISBN 978-81-7023-109-7.

[brunn402-12] Brunn, Stanley D. (2015). The Changing World Religion Map: Sacred Places, Identities, Practices and Politics. Springer. pp. 402–403. ISBN 978-94-017-9376-6.

[maitra125-13] Maitra, Asim (1986). Religious Life of the Brahman: A Case Study of Maithil Brahmans. Munshilal. p. 125. ISBN 978-81-210-0171-7.

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Hindu festival dates The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements: māsa (lunar month), pakṣa (lunar fortnight) and tithi (lunar day). Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz. amānta / pūrṇimānta. If a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa. A lunar year is shorter than a solar year by about eleven days. As a result, most Hindu festivals occur on different days in successive years on the Gregorian calendar.
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