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Feel Closer to Lord Shiva with Special Shivaratri Celebrations at These Renowned Indians Temples
February 11, 2022
Mahashivratri is an important day for all devotees of Lord Shiva. On this day, many devotees all across the country light diyas, fast all day and pray for blessings from the Lord Shiva. Devotees line up for hours and spend all day taking part in the various ceremonies and celebrations taking place at Shiva temples.
There are different stories and myths about the celebration of Shivratri. Many believe that on this day Lord Shiva performed his dance of creation and destruction, while others believe that the day is a celebration of the marriage between Shiva and Parvathi. But this auspicious festival comes only once a year in the month of Phalguna and devotees want to make the most of it.
So many people all over India often take the time to travel to the most renowned Shiva temples of the country and spend one or two days of festivities at these sites.
Some of the most popular temples to visit on Mahashivratri In India are:
1.Kedarnath
This is perhaps one of the most sought-after temples to visit on Mahashivratri. Kedarnath is part of the 12 Jyotirlingams and is believed to be one of the most auspicious Hindu religious sites. Kedarnath temple is located in the hills of Uttarakhand but now the government of India has built lots of transport services for devotees to reach its remote location. Some believe that Kedarnath signifies the spot where Parvathi prayed to Kedareshwara, other believe that the Pandavas had a vision of Lord Shiva at this spot. Kedarnath has now become one of the central sites of Shiva worship in India.
2.Kailashnath
The Kailashnath Temple at Maharashtra belongs to the ancient Ellora cave system of India. It represents the extremely long history of Shiva worship in the country. Kailashnath is a monolithic temple carved out of one single rock and is a testament to the architectural skill of Indians in the 8th century. The temple is believed to have been constructed by King Krishna who was very devoted to Lord Shiva. Legend says that his faith was further reinforced and he added on to the temple after his recovery from a terrible illness during which his wife had prayed at the temple of Kailashnath. Kailshnath temple is very easy to reach as it is located in close proximity to the Auranagabd railway station.
3.Baidyanath
This is a major temple of Jharkhand that is known for its Maha Shivaratri special celebrations. At this temple every year massive processions are held to celebrate the festival. This temple’s legend is associated with the famous village of the Ramayana, Lord Ravana who is said to have a devotee of Lord Shiva. The story goes that Ravana was given a lingam as a blessing from Lord Shiva, but it had been stated that if the lingam was ever placed on the ground, it would remain there forever. So, when the lingam was accidentally put down it got stuck and around it the temple of Biadyanath grew up.
4.Lingaraja
This temple is one of the most important tourist spots in South India. Historians claim that parts of the temple date as far back as the 6th century while some parts are also from the 11th century. The architecture of this temple is a classic and it has been appreciated by thousands of domestic and international visitors. The temple has a high vimana and has dark coloured stones on its external surface. There are stories that claim that Lord Parvathi had been abducted by demons from this spot. At present, Lingaraja temple holds massive Mahashivratri special celebrations. All through the night devotees sing songs of the Lord and dance around the temple complex creating an atmosphere of ecstasy and divine fervour.
5.Sri Kailashnath
This is another famous Kailashnath temple of India. Sri Kailashnath is located in Andhra Pradesh of South India. The story behind this temple goes that it was the site where a snaked used to regularly worship a stone as Lord Shiva. Sri Kailashnath is a major spot for Mahashivratri celebration in India. Here the devotees celebrate the day as the day of union between Lord Shiva and his beloved Goddess Parvathi.
6.Kotilingeshwara
This is a famous Shiva temple in Karnataka. As the name suggests this temple houses lakhs of lingas. There are almost 90 lakh lingas already installed in Kotilingeshwara. The first ever lingam was established in 1972 and since then every single year new lingas are installed on the day of Mahashivratri. Mahashivratri is celebrated with great grandeur at the Kotilingeshwara temple. All day devotees sing songs and take part in Mahashivratri celebrations. Kotilingeshwara is actually a temple complex with around 11 temples located within its compound. The largest lingam located in this complex is more than 100 ft high.
7.Somanatha
This temple in Gujarat is also intimately connected to the history of India. This temple was believed to be fabulously wealthy once and was raided repeatedly during the medieval period. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in the country and attracts a huge number of devotees every year. The deity at this temple is called Lord Soma, another name of Lord Shiva. Mahashivratri celebrations at this temple are very grand and go on throughout the day and night.
8.Kashi Biswanath
This is a temple that has been a major pilgrimage sight for many Hindus for centuries. Located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, the temple is dedicated to Biswanath, an epithet of Lord Shiva. On the day of Maha shivaratri the ghats located along the Kashi Biswanath temple are full of devotees. They bathe in the holy river Ganges and offer their prayers to the Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva, better known as Lord Mahadeva is one of the most revered deities of the Hindu pantheon. He belongs to the Trimurthi of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva who were the original creators of the universe.
India has a very long history of Shaivism and Shiva worship. As early as the Indus Valley Civilization we get the Pashupati seal which is believed to have been a very early Lord Shiva prototype. Since then, India has experienced an almost unbroken heritage of Shiva worship in the country. Some of the biggest heroes as well as villains of our legends and myths are devotees of Lord Shiva. Mahashivratri is a celebration of this long-held tradition that the subcontinent of India has nurtured for centuries.
