Mahashivrati | February 19, 2004

The Mahashivrati (also known as Shivaratri) festival is a festival in Hinduism dedicated to the God Shiva. On this day Shiva’s temples are fully decorated and many devotees gather in worship of Shiva. On this day Shiva performed the Tandava, a dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. According to different legends the day also marks Shiva’s first appearance as a pillar of fire, his marriage to Sati, the mother divine or the day he saved humankind by swallowing poison, that threatened to kill mankind. This year Mahashivatri is celebrated on February 19th.