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Maha Shivratri or Shivaratri (Night of Shiva or "Great Night of Shiva") is a festival celebrated every year on the
13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of
the month of Phalguna, As per as English calendar it occurs in the
month of February-March. Shivratri festival is celebrated
on a moonless night.
According to Hindu mythology, Shivaratri or 'Shiva's Great Night' symbolizes the wedding day of Lord Shiva and
Parvati. Many however, believe, Shivaratri is the night when Lord Shiva
performed the Tandava Nritya - the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction.
To mark the Shivratri festival, devotees wake up early and take a
ritual bath, preferably in river Ganga. After wearing fresh
new clothes devotees visit the nearest Shiva temple to give
ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum with milk, honey, water and
offerings of Bael (Bilva) leave to the Lord Shiva, all day fasting and
an all night long vigil.Some of them chant the "Om
Namoh &n Shivaya" mantra through the night.
Devotees
strongly believe that ritual worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious
day of Shivaratri absolves them of past sins and they
are blessed with Moksha.
Worship of Lord
Shiva continues all through the night on Shivaratri Festival. Devotees
stay awake all night and spend the night in Shiva temples
in worship of Lord Shiva. Singing of hymns and verses in praise and
devotion of Lord Shiva besides the intense chanting of Om Namah Shivay, the mantra that is said free people from all their sins, continue through the night on Shivaratri.

Festival of Mahashivaratri is the most important festival for the
millions of devotees of Lord Shiva. The festival has been
accorded lot of significance in Hindu mythology. It says that a devotee
who performs sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the
auspicious day of Shivratri is absolved of sins and attains moksha.
Hence the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivaratri - the grand night of Shiva.
Significance of Shivaratri for Women
Mahashivratri Festival is also considered to be an
extremely significant festival by women. Married and unmarried women
observe fast and perform Shiva Puja with sincerity to appease Goddess Parvati who is also regarded as ‘Gaura’ - one who bestows marital bliss and long and prosperous
married life. Unmarried women also pray for a husband like Lord Shiva
who is regarded as the ideal husband.