Culture - - Posted on November, 19 at 5:27 pm
A tribute to Shiva, the destroyer, this festival is held on the eve of the thirteenth day of the second fortnight of Magha month. The day calls for fasting, and a sleepless vigil is observed throughout the night. People keep awake listening to stories and chanting hymns and folksongs. Temple bells ring as sacred texts are chanted and traditional offerings of Bel leaves and milk are made to the Shiva Linga, the phallic symbol of the deity. In North India it is customary to prepare Bhang (a drink prepared from opium)- and consume it as Prasada.
According to an ancient Puranic legend, Shiva manifests himself in the form of a huge flaming Lingam known as Jyotirlinga on Shivaratri. It is the duty of every worshipper to worship this Linga with at least one leaf of the Bilva or Bel plant.
According to yet another legend, Once a hunter in Varanasi went out on an expedition and could not return home in time. He was lost in the darkness of the night to protect himself from the wild beasts he climbed up a tree. At night, he felt miserable due to thirst, hunger and fear and was also worried about his family. To keep himself occupied and forget his worries he started plucking the leaves and throwing it down. Incidentally, it was a Bel tree and there was a Shivalinga under the tree. Unknowingly he was performing the worship of Shiva with Bel leaves. Shiva was pleased and gave him the place in his blissful abode on Mount Kailasa. He was born again as King Chitrabandhu and remembering the event in his earlier birth observed vigil on that night, every year. The night on which the hunter was stranded in the jungle is now called Shivaratri and a night vigil with Bel Puja is performed at night as the hunter did.