A Brief History of Mahashivratri
Mahashivratri is a Hindu festival that is celebrated all across India. The festival will be celebrated on 11th March 2021. On this day Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are worshipped and their convergence or union is celebrated. Together they make Shiv and Shakti, Destruction and Creation, two processes that are inevitable and important for the human race. Men and women fast from the morning and only eat after the Puja. It is also believed that women who fast and pray to Lord Shiva genuinely will be blessed with a husband like Him.
Mahashivratri is an important festival for Hindus in the Indian subcontinent. It is said that on the night of the event, Lord Shiva performs the cosmic dance that signifies creation, destruction, and life itself. Different types of sweets are prepared and offered to Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati.
How Karnataka celebrates Mahashivratri
In Karnataka, the festival is celebrated with quite a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. The deity of Lord Shiva is carried in a palanquin to the nearest river. The journey is accompanied by drummers who play upbeat music that continues when the Puja starts. The worshippers stay awake all night as the Puja is mainly conducted at night. Devotees visit Siva temples to see the Puja and become a part of it. Many people visit Murudeshwara in Uttara Kannada, an extremely famous spot as it has the second-highest statue of Lord Shiva.
Devotees asked the supreme God to forgive their sins and show them the path of truth, many yajnas are performed in different temples and even in homes. Food items like milk, ghee, sugar, honey, and curd are offered to God along with a special item called Naividya. Worshippers pray for prosperity and peace in their lives, especially in their marital lives. Mahashivratri is one of the most important festivals that is celebrated with pomp and panache in the southern state of Karnataka.