Shivratri (Shiv)
About Sindhi Festival
This Sindhi [Hindu] festival is dedicated to lord Shiva. Sindhi having origin with Indus valley civilization celebrate this religious festival with devotion and true enthusiasm. As per the tradition people go for early morning river bath with chanting of “Om Namo Shivay” and “Har Har Mahadev”. after the bath worship is performed in nearby Shivalaya [Temple of Shiva].
Here at Gandhinagar in spite of not having any Grand temple of Lord Shiva baring a small temple “Neelkanth” near the government hospital and Masoobaba on the bank of river Panch Ganga, this festival is celebrated in grand and specific style. All to people from the neighbouring area take bath at river Panch Ganga and after having darshan at Masoobaba give Dakhshina to various fakirs and Sadhus gathered here. various social Mandals and commercial associations erect Mandaps and distribute various food stuff among the devotees. In the afternoon traditionally “Thadal“, natural and famous sindhi cold drink, is prepared and distributed.
Maha Shivratari: Rituals
Religious Importance & Rituals associated with Maha Shivratari: Shivratari is a winter festival, celebrated on 13th day (sometimes on 14th Day) of Sindhi month Phagun (Feb – March) in Krishna Paksh. In the Hindi language Shivratari literary means the night dedicated to Lord Shiva, according to Hindu faith on this Lord Shiva and Goddess Paravati were tied up with wedding knot. This is common faith that a dip in the holly river like Ganga on Shivratari prove a reason for freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth, hence thousands of devotees are gathered at the Temples of Lord Shiva located on the bank of any holly river.
Devotees after having bath goes to Shivalaya (Temple of Lord Shiva) where Abhishek of Shivalinga is performed with milked water, Tulsi Patra & Honey.
Beside the India Shivratari is also celebrated in Nepal (Pashupatinath Temple), Mauritius and many other countries with Hindu/ Sindhi population.
Sindhi Food :
Sindhi natural cold drink Thadhal is distributed among devotees as prasad.
12 Jyotirlinga in India
There are 12 most holy places of Lord Shiva. These temples are famous as Jyotirlinga or Jyotirlinga or Jyotirlingam. Here we are giving list of Jyotirlings in alphabetical order of name of Indian states
Andhra Pradesh:: Malikarjuna
Gujarat :: Nageshvara
Gujarat :: Somnath
Jharkhand :: Vaidyanath
Madhya Pradesh :: Omkareshwar
Madhya Pradesh :: Ujjain Mahakaleshwar
Maharashtra :: Bhimashakar
Maharashtra :: Grishneshwar
Maharashtra :: Trimbakeshwar
Tamil Nadu :: Ramlingeshwarar
Uttar Pradesh :: Kashi vishawnath
Uttarakhand :: Kedarnath