Tue Feb 25 18:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Maha Shivaratri: A Celebration of Shiva and the Triumph of Light Over Darkness
**Bengaluru, February 26, 2025** – Maha Shivaratri, a significant Hindu festival commemorating Lord Shiva, was celebrated across the nation yesterday. Observed on the fourteenth day of the first half of the lunar month of Phagun, the festival is deeply rooted in ancient scriptures like the Skanda Puranam and Linga Puranam. According to Professor Kumool Abbi, this day is believed to be imbued with potent cosmic energies.
The festival’s significance is multifaceted, with various legends adding to its rich tapestry. One legend portrays Maha Shivaratri as the night Shiva married Parvati. Another celebrates Shiva’s act of consuming the poison halahala during the churning of the ocean, earning him the title Neelakanth (blue-throated). Yet another tradition sees Shiva becoming one with Mount Kailas, embodying stillness and yogic immersion. The Linga Purana describes Shiva taking the form of the Lingam, a symbol of infinity.
Semiotically, Maha Shivaratri represents the triumph of knowledge and detachment over ignorance and materialism, signifying the victory of wisdom over evil. Devotees believe that meditation on Shiva, representing truth, consciousness, and purity, helps overcome spiritual obstacles and sever material bonds.
Celebrations involved pilgrimage to Jyotirlingam temples, the performance of the abhishekam ritual (bathing the lingam), offerings of bilva leaves and sweets, chanting of sacred mantras, and all-night vigils. The festival is a time of fasting, prayer, and deep contemplation, focused on connecting with the divine energy of Shiva.
First Piper 