Celebrate Mahashivratri in Your Apartment
Mahashivratri literally means the great night of Shiva. It is one of the famous festivals of India and Lord Shiva is considered one among the three divine trinities. Devotees, mostly women pray for the well-being of their family happiness and prsoperity.
Mahashivratri festival is celebrated one night before Amavasya (new moon). Amavasya symbolizes evils like injustice, ignorance, darkness, sin, violence etc and mythology says that Mahashivratri is celebrated as a festival of win over all the evils. It is said that Shivratri is a night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandva and saved the earth. On Shivratri, Lord Shiva became ‘Neelkantham’ as he swallowed the deadly poison that came up during the churning of the milky ocean “Kshir Sagar”.
It is also believed that he got married to Devi Parvati on this auspicious day only. Devotees follows a strict fast and have a diet of only fruits and milk, while some do not consume even a drop of water. Devotees take a ritual bath early in the morning and wear new clothes. After the self purification devotees visit the Shiva temple to perform prayers, they offer milk, honey, water etc. to the shivling.Worship of Lord Shiva continues all through the day and night.
According to hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world, he lives a life of a sage at Mount Kailash. It is said that on the night of Mahashivaratri, the benefits of a single repetition of Shiva’s name are multiplied a thousandfold.
How to celebrate Shivratri in your apartment
You can arrange certain programs in your apartment societies in order to celebrate Mahashivratri.
- Spiritual exhibition can be held in the community where one can find the spiritual books on hindu mythology and cds of Bhajans and aarati songs.
- Themed drawing competition, lord Shiva fancy dress competition etc can be organized to educate kids about the importance of day.
- Om namah shivaya Meditation program is one other way to celebrate this day in a group by performing meditation and a small arti in community hall.
- The lunch can be provided as Prasad to the residents.
