Maha Shivaratri Day, rooted in Vedic traditions and enriched through the Puranas, commemorates major legends of Lord Shiva, including his marriage to Parvati, the drinking of poison during the cosmic churning, and his Tandava dance.

When is Maha Shivaratri Day?

Maha Shivaratri Day is celebrated every year on the 14th night of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) in the Hindu month of Phalguna / Maasi (February–March).

The following is the list of Maha Shivaratri Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Maha Shivaratri Day?

Maha Shivaratri is one of the most sacred festivals in Shaivism, a major tradition of Hinduism. Its origins trace back to Vedic times (1500–500 BCE), where early hymns in the Rigveda and Yajurveda refer to Rudra (later Shiva) as a powerful deity associated with storms, healing and cosmic forces.

Over centuries, Rudra evolved into Lord Shiva, one of the three supreme deities of the Hindu Trimurti (Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, Shiva the destroyer/transformer).

Maha Shivaratri Day commemorates major legends of Lord Shiva:

– Marriage of Shiva and Parvati: One of the most popular beliefs is that Maha Shivaratri marks the divine wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, symbolizing the union of male and female cosmic energies.
– Samudra Manthana (Churning of the Ocean): During the cosmic ocean churning, a deadly poison (Halahala) emerged, threatening to destroy the universe. Shiva drank the poison to save all beings, holding it in his throat, which turned blue. Devotees commemorate his act of sacrifice on this night.
– The Cosmic Dance (Tandava): Another tradition holds that Shivaratri is the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandava, his dance of creation and destruction. It represents the eternal cosmic cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

Over time, the festival spread across India and to regions like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Southeast Asia, wherever Shaivism flourished.

By the medieval period, Maha Shivaratri had become one of the key Hindu festivals, observed by kings, temple communities and common people alike.