Mahashivratri 2023: Are you fasting? Follow these Dos and Don'ts

Considered as one of the most auspicious festivals in the country Mahashivratri essentially translates to the great night of Shiva and is celebrated annually with much fervour and excitement across India This year Mahashivratri will be observed on February 18 2023 So get ready to hear chants of Har Har Mahadev on this dayIts believed that while there is a Shivratri every lunisolar month of the Hindu calendar the Mahashivratri happens only once every year in FebruaryMarch when winter comes to an end and spring and summer beginsOut of the 12 Shivratris observed in any given year Mahashivratri is considered especially auspicious as it is supposed to be the night of convergence of Shiva and Shakti which in essence means the male and feminine energies that keep the world in balance Shiva and Shakti are revered as the embodiment of love power and onenessThere are different legends throughout history that describe the significance of Mahashivratri One of them claims that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati tied the knot on this day Purusha mindfulness is embodied by Lord Shiva whilst Prakriti nature is embodied by Maa Parvati With the union of both consciousness and energy it facilitates creationAnother story says during Samudra Manthan a pot emerged from the ocean which consisted of poison All the Gods and demons were terrified that this will destroy the entire world and so Gods went to Lord Shiva for helpTo protect the entire world from the evil effects Shiva drank the entire poison and held it in his throat instead of swallowing it Due to this his throat became blue and hence he came to be known as NeelakanthaMahashivratri 2023 celebrationsEvery state in the nation including Uttarakhand Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Punjab Himachal Pradesh Bihar Karnataka Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh or Telangana celebrates Mahashivratri Shiv Archana is performed in Shiva temples around the nation by devotees who also present milk dhatura bel patra sandalwood paste ghee sugar and other items to the Shivling Shiv devotees undergo a 24hour fast that is broken the next morning Mahashivratri Puja in contrast to many other festivals is performed at nightDevotees consume satvik foods like ragi sabudana fruits and some vegetables while keeping the fast If youre also fasting during Mahashivratri so look at these dos and donts to keep in mind while celebrating this occasionDos of fasting on MahashivratriOn the day of the fast get up early around sunriseOne should take a bath and dress in clean preferably white clothing on the day of the fastTo make your fast more fruitful recite Om Namah Shivay multiple timesDue to the fact that Shivratri Puja is performed at night devotees take another bath in the evening before doing Shiv Puja Following a bath the following day devotees usually break their fastMilk dhatura flowers belpatra sandalwood paste yoghurt honey ghee and sugar are among the offerings made to Lord ShivaAccording to Drikpanchang to get the full benefits of the Vrat devotees break their fast between dawn and the end of Chaturdashi TithiDonts of fasting on MahashivratriIts considered by many to refrain from consuming anything made of rice wheat or pulses as these foods are not permitted during the fastPeople generally avoid garlic onion and nonvegetarian meals because they are tamsik in natureOffering coconut water to Shivling is not advisableIt is believed that those people who perform puja fast and offer prayers to Lord Shiva are blessed with good luck Many people also think that Maha Shivratri fast reminds devotees that pride ego and falsehood lead to downfall only Happy MahashivratriAlso Read Mahashivratri 2023 Food items you can consume while observing fastThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever