Maha Shivaratri 2017 : Hindus Across the World Ready to Celebrate Maha Shivratri on 24 February.This is a major Hindu festival about overcoming darkness and ignorance in life and the world. Unlike most other festivals in Hinduism, the Maha Shivaratri is held at night and is a solemn occasion rather than a time of revelry. Maha Shivaratri is considered quite auspicious, as married and unmarried females observe fast, perform Shiva Puja and try to please Goddess Parvati as well, who is also known as Gaura. She is the one who is believed to blesses women with a good husband like Lord Shiva and also grants them a long and prosperous married life.
The focus is on fasting, prayers, poems, meditation and reflection and also includes an all-night vigil at temples, which are adorned with lights and colourful decorations. Offerings are made to Shiva of woodapple leaves, fruit, cold water, flowers, sugarcane, sweets and milk, while some worshippers fast all day and night and others do meditative yoga.Taking bath in the Ganga is one of the most significant features of the festival of Mahashivaratri.
On the day of Maha Shivaratri, devotees chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’. Devotees observing fast do not consume any eatables and cannot even drink a drop of water. On this day, temples are decorated and devotees pray all night. One of the biggest celebrations of Maha Shivratri takes place in Ujjain.
Maha Shivaratri is also marked in Nepal, particularly in Pashupatinath, a temple devoted to Shiva’s incarnation as Pashupati, lord of the animals. Thousands of worshippers congregate at the temple and the Nepalese army parades around the city of Kathmandu to pay tribute to the god.Lord Shiva will bless them and their wishes will be granted. Happy Maha Shivaratri 2017 and we hope Lord Shiva brings good fortune in your life. Har Har Mahadev!
Source: http://pressks.com/arts_culture/maha-shivaratri-2017-significance-hindu-festival-celebrated/19130/