NEW DELHI: The pageant of Maha Shivratri, additionally referred to as the “the Great Night of Shiva” marks the celebration of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati’s wedding ceremony. The pageant is well known annually on the thirteenth evening and 14th day of the Hindu month Phalguna. This yr Mahashivratri shall be celebrated on March 11.
Preparations for the celebration are already in full swing and most of the Shiva-Parvati temples are decked up fantastically. Maha Shivratri is well known in assorted methods throughout the size and breadth of the nation.Â
This time of the yr is believed by religious Hindus to be the time when the celestial energy descends on the earth to enlighten ignorant souls searching for refuge in his compassionate arms. Maha Shivaratri is in reverence of the supreme-most of the Hindu Trinity – Lord Shiva.
Shiva is taken into account the personification of manhood and most Hindu girls want to have a husband like him. The Lord first took manifestation within the kind of a linga on the evening of Aridra Nakshatra and therefore the importance of the Maha Shivaratri.
There are as many as 12 Jyotirlingas in India which can be symbolic of the ‘radiance of Lord Shiva’ (Jyoti which means radiance and Linga – half of Shiva).
Here’s having a look on the well-known 12 Jyotirlingas in India that one can worship in his/her lifetime:
Somnath
Considered to be the holiest of all of the Jyotirlingas, the Somnath Temple in Gujarat is historically the primary to be visited in the course of the Dwadash pilgrimage. The temple is believed to have been destroyed and re-constructed 16 instances since Soma or Moon God in-built gold.
Mallikarjuna
Situated on the highest of a mountain on river Krishna, Mallikarjuna, also called Srisaila is the divine place the place Adi Shankaracharya composed Sivananda Lahiri. Located within the Kurnool district of the state of Andhra Pradesh, Srisaila is legendary for its stupendous archaeology.
Mahakaleshwar
Situated in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), the Mahakal Shivlinga is the only Swayanbhu (which means self-created) linga of the 12 Jyotirlingas. The linga faces in the direction of the south and is the one temple that hosts the Shree Yantra inscribed on the ceiling above the Grabhagriha.
Omkareshwar
Situated on the island referred to as Mandhata or Shivpuri on river Narmada, Omkareshwar is legendary for its Omkara and Amareshwar temples. The form of the island is believed to resemble the signal OM.
Kedarnath
The Garhwal Himalayan vary in Uttarakhand is residence to at least one of probably the most well-known Jyotirlingas, Kedarnath. Situated close to the Mandakini River, the temple is commonly snow-clad. Access to the temple is feasible solely by foot owing to its rugged terrain and harsh climatic situation.
Bhimashankar
Most individuals consider that Bhimashankar linga is situated close to Pune in Maharashtra. However, a debate looms over the unique Bhimashankar linga as totally different legends cite assorted locations of the linga. According to the Shiva Purana, the Bhimshankar temple close to Guwahati within the japanese Indian state of Assam is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. But the Linga Puran says that the Bhim Shankar temple in Bhimpur in Orissa is one of the 12 shrines.
Kashi Vishwanath
The most sacred of all of the Jyotirlingas, the Kashi Vishwanath is situated on the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, also called Kashi or Benaras. The deity is known as Vishwanatha or the ‘Ruler of the Universe’. The city of Benaras is believed to be the oldest dwelling metropolis with a documented historical past spanning over 3500 years.
Trimbakeshwar
Located on the banks of the Godavari River close to Nasik in Maharashtra, Trimbakeshwar is understood for its three-headed linga that represents the Hindu Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. The linga has been decreasing in dimension owing to the extreme use of water. But the erosion of the linga is taken into account symbolic for it displays the sporting away of life with time.
Vaidyanath or Baidyanath
The precise location of the Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga can also be debated as some consider that the one in Jharkhand is the unique one whereas one other faculty of thought believes that the Baijnath in Himachal Pradesh is one of the 12 sacred Lingas. The Parli Vaijyanath in Maharashtra additionally claims to be one of the Jyotirlingas.
Nageshwara
The state of Gujarat is residence to a different Jyotirlinga, the Nageshwar linga. However, the states of Uttarakhand and Maharashtra are in dispute over claiming a spot within the 12 Jyotirlingas. But in line with the Shiva Purana, Nageshvara is within the forested space of Darukavana. The Deodar forest in Uttarkhand properties the Darukavana and since there is no such thing as a hint of the forest within the Dwaraka area (Gujarat). But the favored notion appears to be Gujarat.
Ramanathaswamy in Rameshwaram
The southernmost temple that properties one of the 12 Jyotirlingas is named Rameshwaram. Lord Rama is believed to have prayed to Lord Shiva to pardon him off the sins (if any) dedicated by him in the course of the battle in opposition to Ravan. The temple can also be one of the 4 holy websites {that a} Hindu visits throughout his lifetime.
Grishneshwar
Situated close to the Ellora temples in Aurangabad, the Grishneshwar linga has an attention-grabbing legend. Lord Shiva helped a mom get again her lifeless son by making a miracle and showing to her and the villagers as Jyotirlinga Gushmeshwar.
Here’s wishing our readers a really Happy Maha Shivratri!
