Major festivalमहा शिवरात्रि
Maha Shivaratri
Local names:महाशिवरात्रि(Hindi)ମହାଶିବରାତ୍ର(Odia)মহাশিবরাত্রি(Bengali)મહાશિવરાત્રિ(Gujarati)மகா சிவராத்திரி(Tamil)മഹാശിവരാത്രി(Malayalam)
The "great night of Shiva" — vigil through all four praharas.
Gregorian date
23 February 2028
Wednesday
Tithi
Krishna Chaturdashi
Phalguna (February – March)
Duration
single-night
Significance
Marks the night Shiva married Parvati (in some traditions); the night of the cosmic dance (Tandav) in others. The most-observed Shiva festival of the year — devotees keep an all-night vigil, fasting and chanting.
What happens on the day
- •Fast through the day + night
- •All-night vigil with Shiva chanting
- •Worship Shivling with bilva leaves, milk, water, honey, ghee
- •Recite Shiva Tandava Stotram
- •Visit a Shiva temple
Auspicious for
- ✓Shiva sankalpa
- ✓Major spiritual deeksha
Avoid
- ✗Sleeping through the night (the vigil is the practice)
- ✗Onion / garlic / non-veg
About the month of Phalgunaफाल्गुन
The closing month. Hosts Maha Shivaratri (Shiva's great night), Holika Dahan (the eve before Holi), and Holi (festival of colours, end of the Hindu year).