All Siva temples in Mumbai celebrated Maha Sivaratri also called “The Great Night of Shiva, on February 18 .
The festival is observed by fasting, praying, and offering devotion to Lord Shiva. Fasting on Shivaratri is considered to be extremely auspicious and is believed to bring blessings and fulfillment of desires.
According to legend, Mahashivaratri marks the occasion when Shiva first performed the Tandava Nritya – also known as the dance of primordial creation, preservation, and destruction. It was believed through this dance of devotion that Lord Shiva saved the world from destruction..
Mahashivaratri falls in the month of Phalgun’s Krishna paksh Chaturdashi. It is believed that on this auspicious day the Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married. Lord Shiva is considered as an ideal husband and to get a husband like him, unmarried girls and women worship him on this auspicious day by observing fast.
On this day at the Shankara Mattham at Matunga the idol of Lord Shiva in the form of Shiva Linga is bathed with Milk, Honey, dhahi, Sandle Paste, Bhasma and Bilwa leaves. Chanting the “Om Namah Shivaya” mantra is considered to be very powerful. The entire day and night is divided in to four sections called Yama abhishekams. During each Yama’s the Linga is bathed with various holy waters, milk, curd, Bhasma at the same time Laksharchana , Karamarchana goes on.
