Bhubaneswar: Maha Shivaratri, a night of belief and worship of Shiva in Odisha and all over India. Various temples in Odisha have made arrangements for the occasion.
Shivaratri falls on the 14th night of the new moon, during the dark half of the month of Phalguna.
Shivaratri is the night when Shiva had performed the Tandava Nritya or the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction.
What Is Done On Shivaratri:
Hindus fast all day long extending to the next morning. They sing hymns and praises of Lord Shiva. It is believed that this brings good luck.
The celebration includes maintaining a “jaagaran”, an all-night vigil and prayers.
Shaivites mark this night as “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in one’s life and the world through Shiva.
Must Chant Mantra On Shivaratri:
“OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”
‘Om’, in the mantra, refers to the sound of the universe. It means peace and love.
The five letters, ‘Na’, ‘Ma’, ‘Shi’, ‘Va’, ‘Ya’ in ‘Namah Shivaya’ indicate the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether.
Fasting On Shivaratri, A Must:
Fasting detoxifies the body and curtails the restlessness of the mind.
A mind that is not restless slips into meditation easily, fasting on Maha shivratri helps to remove toxic substances and in turn helps in performing meditation.
It is recommended to fast with fruits or foods that are easily digestible. Most Odias resort to a no water fast or “nirjala upwas”
Arrangements Across Temples In Odisha:
Security has been heightened in almost all temples of Odisha.
Makeshift partitions have been erected at various important Shiva temples (Pithas) for crowd management.
Bhajan pandals have been set up to entertain the devotee for their night long vigil.
A priest at the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar said, “the administration has made adequate security arrangements, ambulances and fire extinguishers shall be kept on high alert.”
Kalinga AI