Mahashivaratri
1. The Divine Marriage
The most popular belief is that this is the night Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were married. It symbolizes the sacred union of Purusha (pure consciousness) and Prakriti (creative energy), bringing balance to the entire universe.
2. The Preservation of the Universe
During the Samudra Manthan (Churning of the Ocean), a deadly poison called Halahala emerged that threatened to destroy all creation. To save the world, Shiva drank the poison and held it in his throat. His throat turned blue from the toxin, earning him the name Neelkanth. Devotees celebrate this night to honor his role as the ultimate protector.
3. The Cosmic Dance (Tandava)
It is believed that on this night, Shiva performed the Ananda Tandava—the cosmic dance of creation, preservation, and destruction. This dance represents the eternal rhythm of the universe. In Tamil Nadu, this is particularly celebrated at the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple.
4. The Infinite Pillar of Light
Another legend tells of a dispute between Brahma and Vishnu over who was supreme. Shiva appeared as a Lingodbhava—an infinite pillar of fire with no beginning or end. This proved his infinite nature, and the moment he appeared is traditionally marked at midnight during the festival.
It’s a big day for all Hindus. They will stay awake all night. Shivaratri is every newmoon, but Mahashivaratri only once a year in February/March. At 10:00 was a Kirtan at Sunshine Guesthouse with Upahar. I walked over there from home. When I entered the rooftop, I saw Surati sitting there. She offered me a chair that she had reserved for somebody. Dharma was sending me the timetable for Puja with Kollur Swami. We made an appointment for 16:15. I will pick her up from her guesthouse for Puja with Kollur Swami. The Kirtan took a bit longer today; it was intensive as usual. From Kirtan, I walked over to Edwin’s. I walked together with Gopika. There were quite a few people already; it was just past 12:00. Lunch is early there.
I had a rest in the afternoon, then I left to pick up Surati. I called her, and she asked me to open the gate and come in. The black King’s dog was welcoming me; he is very playful.
I was waiting until Surati was ready, then we left on my scooter. I chose the route on Bengaluru Road. From there, I had to drive through a lot of small roads and villages before reaching the Ashram. The Puja was already ongoing. Dharma said he would be here all night.
We sat down and watched the Puja. In the end, there was some chanting and a short Meditation. They were offering food here after Puja. So we sat down outside, eating some chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and other stuff. Driving back was easier; it was dark, but I chose a more direct road towards Bengaluru Road. From there, we took the road to Ammani’s Ashram. We reached Girivalam Road. Many people were walking the Pradakshina.
We entered a place where a guru called Nithyananda was on video. Nithyananda (born Arunachalam Rajasekaran in 1978) is an Indian self-styled godman and fugitive who founded the Kailaasa trust. He established ashrams globally, claiming to be an incarnation of Parashiva. He is wanted in India on charges of rape and kidnapping, with his current whereabouts unknown after fleeing the country.
At the entrance, a woman was telling us that, by joining a course with him, we could manifest whatever we wanted. Surati knew some things about him, but I haven’t heard so far. We were not far from Surati’s guesthouse, so she would walk back, while I tried to find my way on the scooter against the current of people walking the Pradakshina.
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