One of the holiest Hindu festivals, Maha Shivratri, commemorates Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati’s marriage and many other cosmic events related to him. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva married Maa Shakti, his divine consort, for a second time on this night. It is in celebration of their divine union that the day is celebrated as ‘The Night of Lord Shiva’. While Lord Shiva signifies Purusha – which is mindfulness, Maa Parvati signifies Prakriti – which is nature. The union of this consciousness and energy promotes creation.

Another legend says that during the creation of the universe, Lord Shiva was incarnated as Lord Rudra during the midnight of Maha Shivaratri with the grace of Lord Brahma. It is also believed that on this night, Lord Shiva performed his cosmic dance of creation, preservation and destruction when he heard the news of his consort Maa Sati’s immolation. This heavenly dance is known as Rudra Tandav among his devotees.

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The Kailasa temple of Ellora and its adjacent caves and temples for a World Heritage Site, but technologically it is also a wonder. It has still not been found how such an array of brilliant temples could be carved out of sheer rock, digging downwards.

Ellora is situated about 15 miles north-west of Aurangabad. It is known to the world for its wonderful cave temples in the hills which are about a mile to its east. These cave temples, which were long concealed from view by the engulfing jungle, are now among India’s top tourist destinations that few visitors are likely to skip. They are officially listed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO.

These caves were carved out of the vertical basalt cliffs of the Sahyadri Hills. Out of the 34 rock cut structures that are numbered, Buddhist settlements can be found in caves 1 through 12, Brahminical structures 13 through 29, and Jaina caves 30 through 34. Cave 16 is the Kailasa temple of Ellora, which is the largest monolithic rock structure in the world.

The Kailasa temple is 300 feet long and 175 feet wide, and it is carved out of a scarp that is over 100 feet high. Contrary to many other ancient rock structures, this temple complex was built (carved out) from top to bottom rather than bottom to top. The job was done with no better tools than chisels and hammers. Scaffolds were not used at all. Due to the size of the excavation and the splendour of the design, this cave is an unrivalled masterpiece of Indian architecture.

A common theory is that the Kailasa temple originally had a thick layer of white plaster on it that made it resemble the holy Kailash mountain, hence the name. Scholars do claim that the entire temple was in fact painted and plastered, which is why it was also known as the Rang Mahal, or painted palace. Some fragments of the old fresco paintings can still be seen on the porch roof of the upper temple. However, it’s still not clear how much of the surface was painted white.

Another perspective is to see the Kailasa temple as an allegory of Kailash mountain, which is said to be the abode of Shiva.

It is also said that the magnificent three dimensional sculpture of Ravana Anugraha Murti on the southern side of the main temple might be the reason that the temple was given the name Kailasa. In the murti, Ravana is depicted as multi-armed, shaking Mount Kailash, where Shiva is shown seated in repose. The ego of Ravana is shown being trampled by just the pressure of the toe of Shiva.

HISTORY

While the construction surrounding this magnificent architecture is still a mystery, historians believe that it dates back to 756 to 773 CE and was built by Rachtrakuta king Krishna I. Although, no details about the ruler have been documented anywhere and thus hasn’t been found to date.

However, what is known is the fact that the architecture of the temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva represents the top of Mount Kailash, the Himalayas which is also considered to be his abode. Not just this, but the method construction of the cave too was something that separates this temple from others.

Kailasa Temple was constructed upside down and since there were no cranes, the army of men with hammers and chisels made their way vertically into 200,000 tonnes of rock. Standing at almost three storeys tall, the main temple complex, Shikhara is a sight to behold. With individual shrines, large statues and free-standing pillars, the artisans added intricate designs and sculpture details as they descended from one storey to another.

Carved from an enormous single rock, The Kailasha has stone carvings that depict various Hindu deities like Lord Shiva (to whom this temple is dedicated), Lord Vishnu and the panels in this temple even show the devotees of these gods. At the base of the temple, one can see the carved elements that appear to carry the load of the temple on their backs.

Kailasa temple: The Architecture

The construction of Kailasa temple as discussed by scholars consisted of excavating out of the hillside three huge trenches at right angles, cut down vertically to the level of the base of the hill. This operation outlined the shape of the courtyard and at the same time left standing in the middle a large isolated mass or “island” of rock, over 200 ft long, 100 ft wide, and 100 ft high at its apex.

According to an architectural calculation, one and-a-half to two million cubic feet of rock was removed by digging these trenches. Since it would be nearly impossible to lift stones out of a trench that deep (without cranes), scholars speculate that they may have chosen the simplest method, which involved having the sculptors chisel the rock from top to bottom so that boulders removed from the area surrounding the main shrine could be rolled down the mountainside by supporting work crews.

The puzzle remains as to where the many tonnes of the stones that were removed went. Also, the rocks would need to have been discarded somewhere, but one cannot find any evidence of rocks being piled up nearby. We still don’t have any trustworthy sources to talk about where the rocks went or how they were used.

Extraterrestrial theory

According to pseudoscience books, there are countless hidden passageways beneath places like Ellora that once housed energy machines and other ancient technology. It is said these extraterrestrial machines may have been used to build the enormous temple of Kailasa. There are also mainstream discussions about mythological technology that had the ability to vaporise rocks. However, there are no reliable sources supporting any of these hypotheses.

Inside the temple

A two-storey Gopuram is located at the entrance. On the sides of the entrances are sculptures of gods revered by Shaivites and Vaishnavites. Two interior courtyards are visible from the entrance, each bordered by a columned arcade.

Each courtyard in the north and the south has a huge, single rock with a life-size elephant carved into it. The Rashtrakuta kings were known to have won several battles with their elephant brigade, making elephants one of their favourite animals. The presence of elephant sculptures in the temple might have represented the strength and prosperity of Rashtrakuta kings.

The sikhara (vimana) rises 96 feet above the court beneath it and is octagonal, which is a typical feature of Dravidian architecture. Around the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) is a small antarala (antechamber), which is joined by a large sabha-mandapa (Mandapa is a pillared hall). It has an ardha-mandapa on the sides and an agra-mandapa at the front. The nandi-mandapa is carved in between the gopura and the agra-mandapa of the shrine, and all the three parts are joined by a sort of rock cut bridge.

The adhishtana, or plinth of the main temple, contains a row of enormous, nearly life-size sculptures of elephants that appear to be carrying the entire weight of the structure.

Behind the temple

In addition to its magnificent architectural features, the complex also has cosmological aspects. The architectural design of the temple complex is viewed by some scholars as a journey from the material to the spiritual, from the earthly to the celestial, and from matter to mind.

The Gopuram, or entrance gate, serves as the main point of entry and symbolises the passage from the human world to the sacred. As one moves from one mandapa to the next, the size, volume, and space of the hall get smaller and the light gets dimmer, which signifies that  there are fewer distractions and one is getting closer to the sacred world.

The atman, the fundamental components of the human spirit, essence of the individual, the conscious energy, is thought to be independent and complete in itself while also being a component of the brahman, the grand scheme of the cosmos, unchanging universal spirit or consciousness that underlies all things.

Similarly, the elements of Kailasa temple are seen to be complete in themselves and are connected to one another in such a seamless way that they appear to be a single complex. Therefore, the entirety of the Kailasa temple symbolises the brahman and the cosmos, while its individual parts symbolise the atman.

The Kailash temple of Ellora is a place where both architectural genius and the philosophy of spiritualism coexist. There is a consensus that no later Indian dynasty was able to create a structure as majestic as the Kailasa temple in Ellora. The attempt of the Jainas to achieve a similar feat, though on a smaller scale, ended in an incomplete excavation at Cave 30, which earned for itself the name Chhota Kailasa.

Not only was building the temple challenging, but it was also nearly impossible to destroy it. Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor, once attempted to destroy the temple and put its virtues to the test. Medieval sources assert that as a result, most of the paintings were destroyed and the carvings suffered significant damage. The caves, however, are still standing.

World’s largest monolithic structure

Locally known as ‘Verul Leni’, Ellora Caves are well-known for its largest single monolithic excavation in the world, the great Kailasa Temple. The Great Kailasa is a freestanding, multi-storied temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva. The speciality of this 1300 year’s old architectural marvel is that it is carved out of a single volcanic basaltic rock of the Charanandri hills and is considered as the largest monolithic piece of art in India as well as in the world.

Even the sculptures at this enigmatic temple are carved from the same piece of rock as the rest of the temple. The temple architecture shows traces of Pallava and Chalukya styles. Attracting a huge number of tourists across the globe from centuries, it is one of the must visit places in Ellora during your Aurangabad Tour.

Top to bottom

The architecture of Kailasa Temple is notable for its vertical excavation, the work started at the top and moved downwards, rolling down the large boulders split from the mountain using rod drills. One can see the drill marks on the surrounding walls that are still visible. A megalith carved out of a single rock, the Kailasa Temple is the only structure in the world that is carved from the top to bottom. Every single design and measurement was planned very accurately as once its cut there was no chance to change it by adding any extra stone or piece of rock. Legend has it that nearly 200,000 tonnes of rock was removed to construct this monolithic structure.

Built in 18 years

Constructed by Rashtrakuta king Krishna I in 756-773 CE, the Kailasa Temple, prominent of all the Caves in Ellora, has fascinated researchers and tourists for centuries. Archaeologists had calculated that it would have taken more than a hundred years to finish the temple construction. But, in reality it took only 18 years to complete it. The rock cut temple was cut in U shape about 50 metres in the back, and about 2,00,000 tonnes of rock was scooped out of a vertical basalt cliff in the Charanandri Hills to form the magnificent temple.

Everyone is trying to understand how the temple was built, cut out of the rocks, by using ancient traditional methods without using any modern technology within that short period of time.

Larger in area than Parthenon in Greece

Kailash Temple is considered as one of the most remarkable cave temples in India due to its massive size, architecture and sculptural treatment. About 145 feet wide, 195 feet long and 90 feet high, Kailash Temple covers an area twice the size of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. With its gigantic sculpted monolithic main shrine in the centre, gopura and enclosure walls on both sides, the Kailash temple is one of the largest structures in India and in the world, rivaling even the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Intricate sculptures and carvings

Almost every inch of the interior structure contains intricate sculptures and carvings in Ellora Caves which display artistic richness and philosophy making the caves a major achievement of ancient Indian civilization. Among the most noteworthy are monolithic elephants and victory pillars at the entrance, the image of Nandi, four sculptures of lions standing in a circle on the roof of Mahamantapa, elephant sculptures at the base of the temple, which gives the viewer an impression that the whole structure is being supported on the backs of these beasts.

Furthermore, various intricately carved panels can be found in the Kailasa Temple like scenes from the two major Hindu epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana along with 10 panels depicting the different avatars of the Hindu god Vishnu. The most noteworthy of them is of demon king Ravana attempting to lift Mount Kailasa.

Indestructible

Mughal King Aurangzeb who destroyed thousands of Hindu temples, also tried to destroy Kailasa temple. It is said that 1000 people were sent to destroy the temple in the year 1682. They worked for 3 years but they could break and disfigure a few statues only. Aurangzeb finally gave up on this task and realized that it was impossible to completely destroy the temple as the rock was simply too hard to demolish, even though artisans used only hammers, chisels and picks to construct it.

Where to Stay

Hotel Kailas: Starting price @Rs2599/

Set in serene gardens off National Highway 52, this informal hotel with views of the Ellora Caves temple complex is an 8-minute walk from Kailasa Temple.

Ellora Heritage Resort:Starting price @Rs1459/
Set 1 km from the monumental Ellora monastery-temple cave complex, this modest resort is 29 km from Aurangabad Train Station and 5 km from the scenic Bani Begum Mughal Garden.

How to Reach :
 By Road:

Aurangabad is the nearest city to Kailasa temple and it is well connected with them by road. From Aurangabad bus and taxi services are available to reach Kailasa temple. Aurangabad is also well connected by state transport buses from major cities of Maharashtra like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Satara, Kolhapur and Ahmednagar.

By Train:

Aurangabad is the nearest railway station to reach Kailasa temple which is situated around 30 kms from the temple. There are direct trains available from the major cities in Maharashtra; like Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Nashik etc. to reach Aurangabad.

By Air:

Aurangabad airport is located at about 15 kms from the Kailasa temple and it is the closest airport to the Kailasa temple. Aurangabad airport is well connected to major cities of Maharashtra and India. One may fly to Aurangabad and reach Kailasa temple by any local transport.

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Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festivals of South India, mainly in Tamil Nadu. Pongal falls in mid-January every year and marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayan – sun’s journey northwards. Pongal festival lasts for four days. This festival in Tamil Nadu is celebrated to show gratitude to nature. The literal meaning of Pongal is “spilling over” and it has been named so, because of the tradition of boiling rice in a pot until it starts overflowing. Other traditions of the celebration include drawing of Kolam, swinging and cooking of delicious Pongal.

Pongal festival marks the end of cold winter months and the advent of spring. From this time the length of days gradually increases in the northern hemisphere. The celebration of Pongal lasts for four days from the last day of the Tamil month Margazhi (December-January) to the third day of Thai that is the month of January – February according to Western Calendar. It is the second and the main day of the festival that is celebrated as Pongal every year.

Pongal is celebrated when the fields are blooming. The festival is thus a celebration of prosperity and a good harvest, especially for the farming community. During the Pongal celebrations, farmers express their gratitude to Sun God and the cattle and thank them for a good harvest.

Other festivals
Harvest festivals have different names in different parts of the country. It is celebrated as Makar Sankranti in central India and Bhugali Bihu in Assam while people in West Bengal, celebrate the last day of Bengali month Paush on January 14 as Paush Parbon. Here, thousands of devotees take bath in Gangasagar, the point where the holy river Ganga meets the sea, to wash away all the earthly sins.

The harvest festival of Pongal falls in the month of January after the winter solstice. The date of the festival is derived from the Solar Calendar hence it usually remains the same. For Hindus, the date of Pongal is extremely auspicious and astronomically significant. Around January 14, every year sun begins its six-months-long journey northwards or in Uttarayan and moves into the zodiac Capricorn or Makara Rashi. This celestial event is celebrated as Pongal in South India.

History of Pongal
Pongal is an ancient festival of people in South India, particularly Tamils. The history of the festival can be traced back to the Sangam Age i.e. 200 BCE to 300 CE. While Pongal originated as a Dravidian harvest festival and has a mention in Sanskrit Puranas, historians identify the festival with the Thai Un and Thai Niradal which are believed to have been celebrated during the Sangam Age.

Pongal during the Sangam Era: The celebrations of Sangam Era led to today’s Pongal celebrations. As part of the festivities, maidens of the Sangam era observed ‘Pavai Nonbu’ at the time of Thai Niradal which was a major festival during the reign of the Pallavas (4th to 8th Century CE). It was observed during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January).

During this festival a young girl prayed for rain and prosperity of the country. Throughout the month, they avoided milk and milk products. They would not oil their hair and refrained from using harsh words while speaking. Women used to bathe early in the morning. They worshiped the idol of Goddess Katyayani, which would be carved out of wet sand. They ended their penance on the first day of the month of Thai (January-February). This penance was to bring abundant rains to flourish the paddy. These traditions and customs of ancient times gave rise to Pongal celebrations.

Andal’s Tiruppavai and Manickavachakar’s Tiruvembavai vividly describe the festival of Thai Niradal and the ritual of observing Pavai Nonbu. According to an inscription found in the Veeraraghava temple at Tiruvallur, the Chola King Kiluttunga used to give lands to the temple specially for the Pongal celebrations.

Legends of Pongal
Some legendary stories are also associated with Pongal festival celebrations. The two most popular legends of Pongal are stories related to Lord Shiva and Lord Indra.

According to a legend, once Shiva asked his bull, Basava, to go to the earth and ask the mortals to have an oil massage and bath every day and to eat once a month. Inadvertently, Basava announced that everyone should eat daily and have an oil bath once a month. This mistake enraged Shiva who then cursed Basava, banishing him to live on the earth forever. He would have to plough the fields and help people produce more food. Thus the association of this day with cattle.

Another legend of Lord Indra and Lord Krishna also led to Pongal celebrations. It is said when Lord Krishna was in his childhood, he decided to teach a lesson to Lord Indra who became arrogant after becoming the king of all deities. Lord Krishna asked all the cowherds to stop worshiping Lord Indra. This angered Lord Indra and sent forth his clouds for thunder-storms and 3 days continuous rains. Lord Krishna lifting Mount Govardhan to save all the humans. Later, Lord Indra realized his mistake and the divine power of Krishna.

Pongal celebrations
According to Hindu mythology, this is when the day of the gods begins, after a six-month long night. The festival is spread over three days and is the most important and most fervently-celebrated harvest festival of South India. A special puja is performed on the first day of Pongal before the cutting of the paddy. Farmers worship the sun and the earth by anointing their ploughs and sickles with sandalwood paste. It is with these consecrated tools that the newly-harvested rice is cut.

Each of the three days are marked by different festivities. The first day, Bhogi Pongal, is a day for the family. Surya Pongal, the second day, is dedicated to the worship of Surya, the Sun God. Boiled milk and jaggery is offered to the Sun God. The third day of Pongal, Mattu Pongal, is for worship of the cattle known as Mattu. Cattle are bathed, their horns polished and painted in bright colours, and garlands of flowers placed around their necks. The Pongal that has been offered to the Gods is then given to cattle and birds to eat.

FOUR DAYS OF PONGAL
1. Bhogi Festival
Bogi festival or Bhogi is the first day of Pongal and is celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, “the God of Clouds and Rains”. Lord Indra is worshiped for the abundance of harvest, thereby bringing plenty and prosperity to the land. Thus, this day is also known as Indran. On Bhogi all people clean out their homes from top to bottom, and collect all unwanted goods. This day is meant for domestic activities and for being together with the family members.

All the houses from the richest to the humblest are thoroughly scrubbed and whitewashed. Homes are cleaned and decorated with “Kolam” – floor designs drawn in the white paste of newly harvested rice with outlines of red mud. Often pumpkin flowers are set into cow-dung balls and placed among the patterns. Fresh harvest of rice, turmeric and sugarcane is brought in from the field as preparation for the following day.

Puja: A special puja is performed on the first day of Pongal before the cutting of paddy. Farmers worship the sun and the earth by anointing their ploughs and sickles with sandalwood paste. It is with these consecrated tools that the newly-harvested rice is cut.

The bonfire: Another ritual observed on this day is Bhogi Mantalu, when useless household articles are thrown into a fire made of wood and cow-dung cakes. Girls dance around the bonfire, singing songs in praise of the gods, the spring and the harvest. The significance of the bonfire, in which burnt agricultural wastes and firewood is to keep warm during the last lap of winter.

In Andhra Pradesh this day is celebrated by girls burning their old clothes and wearing the new ones after an oil massage and bath. Then follows Pongal Panai, a ritual in which new earthenware pots are painted and decorated with turmeric, flowers and mango leaves.

2. Surya Pongal
The second day of Pongal is known as ‘Surya Pongal’ and is dedicated to the Sun God. It is the day on which the celebration actually begins and is also the first day of the Tamil month Thai. On this day the granaries are full, the sun shines brightly, trees are in full bloom, bird-songs resound in the air and hearts overflow with happiness that get translated into colourful and joyous celebrations.

Puja preparation:
Women wake early on this day to create elaborate ‘kolam’ on the grounds in front of their doorway or home. Kolam is created with coloured rice flour placed on the ground carefully by using one’s hand. The women take several hours to finish the kolum. On this day the new rice is collected and cooked in pots until they overflow. It is this overflowing which means Pongal. This overflowing of rice is a joyous occasion, and the children and adults as well will shout out ‘Pongal-o-Pongal!’

3. Mattu Pongal
The third day of Pongal is dedicated to cattle and is called Mattu Pongal. People offer prayers to the bulls, cows and other farm animals. Cows and bulls have always held a special place in India. Cows give nourishing milk while bulls and oxen help plough the fields. Thus, Mattu Pongal is a day when cattle are given a well deserved day of rest and are given pride of place. Therefore the farmers honor their cattle friends by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving to them.

Puja process:
The cattle are washed, their horns are painted and covered with shining metal caps. Multi-coloured beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. They are fed with Pongal and taken to the village centres. Devotees pay their respect to cows by bending down, like praying in temple, and touching their feet and foreheads, followed by an aarthi and offering the cattle prasadam.

Jallikattu- bull festival: 
A festival called Jallikattu is held in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Thanjavur on this day. Bundles of money are tied to the horns of ferocious bulls which the villagers try to retrieve. Everyone joins in the community meal, at which the food is made of the freshly harvested grain. This day is named and celebrated as Tamizhar Tirunal in a fitting manner throughout Tamil Nadu.

4. Thiruvalluvar Day / Kanum Pongal
The fourth day of the three-day Pongal celebrations is called Kaanum Pongal. In a few places this day is also known as Karinaal or Thiruvalluvar Day. It is dedicated to the sun god, Surya and has its roots in ancient Brahmanical tradition. Since Pongal is a rural, agrarian based festival that celebrates the harvests, the sun is a vital part of the proceedings. This is because the Sun is the symbol of life on Earth. Without the Sun, crops cannot sprout and grow. Without the Sun, harvests will not be plentiful.

Customs and rituals: This day is very similar to Rakhsa Bandhan and Bhai Dhuj in that it is predominantly a festival where women offer prayers for the wellbeing of their brothers. The women perform this ritual before bathing in the morning. All the women, young and old, of the house, assemble in the courtyard. The rice is placed in the centre of the leaf, while the women ask that the house and family of their brothers should prosper. Arati is performed for the brothers with turmeric water, limestone and rice, and this water is sprinkled on the kolam in front of the house.

Pongal Recipes
The best of South Indian dishes are relished during the harvest festival of Pongal making the occasion a gourmet’s delight.

Sweet Rice: The making of sweet rice is the most important preparation. This is a dish prepared with rice, dal, jaggery, dry fruits, sugar and milk. All these ingredients are cooked in a new clay pot in the open and allowed to boil over, signifying plenty and prosperity for the year ahead. This is offered to the Sun God and partaken as prasad.

Ven Pongal: If you are a fan of savoury pongal, you just have to try this Ven Pongal recipe. Always wondered how to make khara pongal at home? This quick and easy pongal recipe will be your answer. Ready in just one hour, this Ven Pongal recipe is perfect to be served to your guests. You can also make this savoury pongal recipe on the days you are in no mood to plan an elaborate meal. Traditionally, this khara pongal recipe is cooked around the Pongal festival or Onam, however, the taste of this dish is so amazing that you can make it anytime. You can add your own twist of spices in this recipe. For instance, to add more aroma to this pongal recipe, dry roast the spices, grind them and then add to the dish.

Pongal Celebration Around the World
The harvest festival of Pongal is celebrated with enthusiasm by the Indians be it in India or any other country. Tamils living abroad follow their cultural values throughout their significant festival. It is great to note that even the younger generation of Tamils living abroad come forward to contribute to the development of this harvest festival. Through various contributions in celebrating Pongal, the Tamil diaspora maintains and nurtures the cultural distinctiveness.

Tamil Diaspora
The early settlement patterns of the Tamils could be traced to the sugar cane plantations of Mauritius, Reunion in the Indian Ocean; Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean; Guyana and Suriname in South America; plantations in South Africa; Malaysia; Ceylon (Sri Lanka); and to coal mines of New Caledonia off Australia. In Indonesia and Thailand. Britain with 300,000 or more, the USA with well over 300,000, Canada with over 300,000 and Australia with over 30,000 are some of the developed countries where the Tamil diaspora is well settled, having gone on voluntary migration from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

Worldwide Celebration:

• Pongal in South East Asia
• Pongal in Africa
• Pongal In Oceania
• Pongal in the Gulf
• Pongal in Europe
• Tamils in Americas
  
  INTERNATIONAL NAMES
• Korea – Chu’sok
• Japan – Tori no Ichi
• Sri Lanka -Pongal or Ulavar Thirunaal
• United States – Thanksgiving
• China – August Moon Festival
• Vietnam – Tet Trung Thu
• Israel – Succoth
• Africa America – Kwanzaa
• Africa – Yam Festival

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Ganesh Chaturthi 2022, as per the Hindu Calendar, is being celebrated on the Chaturthi tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. Even though Ganesh Chaturthi 2022 is being celebrated all over the country, the festival is extremely significant in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat.

On Ganesh Chaturthi 2022, People will welcome Lord Ganesha by installing his idols in their homes on the first day of the festival. Devotees worship the God for 11 days and then bid adieu to him by immersing the idols in water after three, five or ten days.

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On this auspicious day, devotees worship Lord Shiva and observe a day-long fast, and the puja is observed during midnight. Devotees also pay an ode to Mahadev and seek his blessings.

Why do we celebrate Maha Shivratri?
Maha Shivratri’s night marks the celebration of the union of Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalguna. As per Hindu mythology, on this day, Lord Shiva tied the nuptial knot with Goddess Parvati.

Lord Shiva embodies Purusha(mindfulness), whereas Maa Parvati has a persona of Prakriti (nature). With the union of both consciousness and energy, it facilitates creation.

As per Hinduism, Lord Shiva on this night, Lord Shiva performs his heavenly dance of preservation, creation, and destruction, also known as ‘tandav’.

On this day, Devotees observe a day-long fast, and pujas are performed in Shiv temples across the globe. Devotees usually offer milk to the Shiv ling and pray for moksha. Apart from that, devotees offer prayers the whole night and also chant mantras in praise of Lord Shiva. Women also pray to get blessed with a good husband and a happy married life.

It is believed that Maha Shivratri fast reminds devotees that pride, ego, and falsehood will only lead to one’s downfall.

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