The grand celebration of Maha Shivratri is just around the corner. It is one of the most auspicious and special occasions. On Mahashivratri, the entire night is dedicated to Shiva. People do not sleep the whole night and keep doing Jagra. However, in this blog, you will know when is Mahashivratri in 2024, its auspicious muhurat, and the story behind it. 

A Quick Overview

This blog covers; 

1. Date of Mahashivratri 2024
2. Best time for Mahashivratri puja
3. Rituals to perform on this day
4. It’s significance 
5. Story behind it

When is Mahashivratri in 2024? 

Every year, Mahashivratri is celebrated in the Phalgun month, Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi. However, according to Hindu panchang calendar, this year Mahashivaratri falls on Friday, March 8th, 2024. 

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Auspicious Muhurat for Mahashivratri Puja

On the other hand, the auspicious muhurat for Maha Shivaratri puja is during the Chaturdashi Tithi of the Krishna Paksha.

Chaturdashi Tithi Starts at 9:59 PM on March 8, 2024. On this day, the Moon will get into the Aquarius rashi or zodiac at 9:20 PM. Moreover, Chaturdashi tithi ends at 6:17 PM on March 9, 2024. Doing Puja during this time is considered very beneficial. 

Tasks to do for Mahashivratri in 2024

Furthermore, after knowing the date and auspicious muhurat, let’s understand what rituals you should follow on Mahashivratri in 2024.

• Fasting: According to Shiv Puran, you should eat only one time on one day before (Treyodashi tithi) Mahashivratri. Then on Mahashivratri (Chaturdashi Tithi), you should observe a full-day fast. You can consume only fruits and water.
• Puja: The main puja involves offering sacred bael leaves, fruits, flowers, water, and milk to Lord Shiva. 
• Jagran (Staying awake): Devotees stay awake throughout the night, and sing prayers and devotional songs.
• Rudrabhishek: you should bathe Shiva with Gangajal, curd, honey, jaggery, Chandan (Sandalwood paste), and Belpatra leaves. This entire process is known as Rudrabhishek. 
• Om Namah Shivaya Jaap: Chanting the sacred mantra “Om Namah Shivaya” is a simple yet powerful way to connect with Lord Shiva on this day.

Mahashivratri RItuals and Puja Vidhi

Now, let’s see how you should perform the Puja of Shiva in the auspicious muhurat on this Mahashivratri. 

• Take a bath when you wake up early in the morning. After that wear clean clothes. 
• On the day of fasting, it is best to wear white clothes.
• Chant “Om Namah Shivay” throughout the day at various times to make your fast more successful.
• However, “Om Namah Shivay” should be said by men, whereas, “Namah Shivay” by women.
• Since Shivratri Puja is held at night, bath again before the evening puja. 
• Well, on the next day, you can break your fast. 
• Office Panchamrit to shiva which includes milk, ghee, curd, honey, and jaggery.

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Significance of Mahashivratri 2024

In addition, let’s understand its significance. On Mahashivratri the Shiva devotees offer puja to Shiva and keep fast. This is done to receive blessings from Shiva. Also, fasting signifies the determination of devotees. 

Moreover, people do not sleep on Mahashivratri. They sing hymns, perform dance, and offer prayers to Lord Shiva. However, unlike other festivals, Mahashivratri is a day of self-awareness and reflection. On this day the spiritual energies remain so high which doesn’t allow evil energies to emerge. 

Story Behind the Celebration:

Well, now comes the interesting part. Now let’s see what are the story behind the celebration of Mahashivratri. While there are so many stores related to it, some popular stories include:

Samudra Manthan 

Samudra Manthan or churning of ocean milk is a well-known story. It is said due to Maharishi Durvasa’s curse all the materialistic possessions like power, wealth, and fortune vanished. 

So, Samudra Manthan was an option to get those things back. All the gods and demons participated in it. In this process, mount Mandara was placed on the back of Vishnu’s Kurma (turtle) avatar. All the rewards are said to be divided equally among devas and asuras. 

But, during this event, a pot of poison emerged, it could destroy the entire world. So, to save the world Lord Shiva consumed the poison, turning his throat blue and saving everyone. This is why he is known as “Neelkanth”. 

Shiva and Parvati’s Marriage

Apart from the story of Samudra Manthan, one story is about Shiva’s marriage to Parvati. Let’s see this story!

On Mahashivratri, the devotees celebrate the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, symbolizing the union of Shiva and Shakti. According to various stories, it is believed that Shiva got married to Parvati. So, you can say that this is their marriage anniversary. This day represents the combination of masculine and feminine energy. This union is called Shivashakti. 

In summary, Mahashivratri in 2024 will be held on 8 March. So, memorize this date and the auspicious muhurat, the rituals to perform, and the significance of this festival. Whether you choose to fast, offer puja, or simply reflect, let this be a night of spiritual growth and connection with Lord Shiva.

Har Har Mahadev!