ReligiousFeb – MarEditorial layoutDate varies

Maha Shivaratri - the great night of Shiva, observed by Hindus in February-March

Maha Shivaratri is the Hindu festival celebrated annually in honor of Lord Shiva. Falls on the 13th night and 14th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Phalguna (Feb-March). One of the major Hindu festivals, observed with night-long vigils, fasting, and pilgrimage.

INNPLK

Religious observancePublished October 14, 2026

At a glanceReligious observance

Observed in: INNPLK
Where observed in 3 countries
When: Feb - Mar
Frequency: Lunar calendar (date shifts)
Type
Days off: 0 days - cultural observance only
Public status: Religious observance - schools / shops normally open

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

Add to calendarSources: see bottom of brief

Maha Shivaratri is the Hindu festival celebrated annually in honor of Lord Shiva, falling on the 13th night and 14th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Phalguna (Feb-March). One of the major Hindu festivals alongside Diwali and Holi. A gazetted public holiday in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Observed with fasting, night-long vigils, and pilgrimage to the twelve Jyotirlingas.

The one-line summary

Hindu festival honoring Lord Shiva on the 13th/14th day of Phalguna Krishna Paksha (Feb-March). Commemorates Shiva-Parvati wedding and the cosmic dance (Tandava). Public holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka. Observed with night-long vigils (jaagran), fasting, and pilgrimage.

Origin and history

The origins of Maha Shivaratri are not attributed to a single historical event but rather to a cluster of mythological narratives. The most prominent is the wedding of Shiva and Parvati on this night, an event celebrated in the Puranas. A second major narrative is the cosmic churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan), in which Shiva drank the deadly poison Halahala to save the universe and earned the title Neelakantha (the blue-throated one). A third tradition holds that Shiva performs the cosmic dance (Tandava) at midnight on this night.

The festival is documented in the Puranas, which were composed between the 4th and 16th centuries CE. The earliest references to a Shivaratri observance appear in the Pashupata Sutras (2nd century CE), one of the oldest Shaiva texts. By the Gupta period (4th-6th centuries CE), Maha Shivaratri was established as a major pan-Indian observance. The twelve Jyotirlingas (sacred shrines) were canonized during the same period and remain the primary pilgrimage destinations for the festival.

12Sacred Jyotirlinga shrines, the primary pilgrimage destinations

When it falls

Maha Shivaratri falls on the 13th night and 14th day of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi) of the Hindu month of Phalguna. The Hindu lunar calendar is approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian solar calendar, so the festival drifts each year. In 2026 it falls on February 27; in 2027 on February 17; in 2028 on February 8; and in 2029 on February 27.

Unlike Diwali (which falls on the new moon) or Holi (which falls on the full moon), Maha Shivaratri falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight - the night just before the new moon. The festival is one of the longest Hindu festivals, with formal observances beginning at sunrise on the previous day and continuing through the night.

How it is observed

Maha Shivaratri is observed with night-long vigils (jaagran) at temples and homes, where devotees gather for continuous chanting of the Shiva Panchakshari mantra "Om Namah Shivaya." Many devotees observe a strict fast (vrat) that begins at sunrise and continues until the following morning, abstaining from food, water (in some traditions), grains, and salt. The fast is broken the next morning after a ritual bath.

Temple worship is a major component: devotees offer milk, honey, yogurt, ghee, and bael (bilva) leaves to the Shiva Lingam, with continuous chanting of "Om Namah Shivaya" and the Rudra mantra. Many temples organize all-night prayer sessions with thousands of devotees, and the Jyotirlinga shrines of Varanasi, Somnath, Kedarnath, and others see pilgrimage surges during the festival.

Jyotirlinga pilgrimage

The twelve Jyotirlingas are the most sacred shrines in Shaivism. Located across India, they are believed to be self-manifested (Swayambhu) shrines where Shiva appeared as a column of light. The twelve Jyotirlingas are: Somnath (Gujarat), Mallikarjuna (Andhra Pradesh), Mahakaleshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), Bhimashankar (Maharashtra), Kashi Vishwanath (Uttar Pradesh), Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra), Vaidyanath (Jharkhand), Nageshwar (Gujarat), Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu), and Grishneshwar (Maharashtra).

Pilgrimage during Maha Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious. The Char Dham (four sacred destinations) circuit - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri - sees a surge of pilgrims during the festival, with Kedarnath (one of the twelve Jyotirlingas) being the primary draw. The Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee typically reports over 100,000 pilgrims on Maha Shivaratri day in good weather years.

In other countriesMaha Shivaratri is a gazetted public holiday in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It is widely observed by the Hindu diaspora in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and the Gulf states, with major temple events in London, Leicester, Toronto, and Houston.

Diwali (Oct-Nov) is the largest Hindu festival, marking the return of Rama to Ayodhya. Holi (Feb-Mar) celebrates the arrival of spring and the legend of Holika and Prahlad. Ganesh Chaturthi (Aug-Sep) is the major festival honoring Ganesha. Navratri and Durga Puja (Sep-Oct) honor the goddess Durga. Maha Shivaratri is the principal festival of the Shaiva tradition, while Diwali and Holi are pan-Hindu.

Sources

Shiva Puranac. 4th-10th c.Pashupata Sutrasc. 2nd c.Indian Ministry of Culture2024Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee2024

Frequently asked questions

When is Maha Shivaratri 2026?

Maha Shivaratri in 2026 falls on Friday, February 27, 2026 (the 14th day of the dark fortnight of Phalguna, Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi). The festival always falls on the 13th night and 14th day of the Hindu month of Phalguna, which usually corresponds to February-March in the Gregorian calendar.

What does Maha Shivaratri commemorate?

Maha Shivaratri commemorates the wedding of Shiva and Parvati, and the cosmic dance of Shiva (the Tandava). Some traditions frame it as the night Shiva saved the universe by drinking the poison Halahala that emerged from the churning of the cosmic ocean. The festival is one of the most important observances in Shaivism, the sect of Hinduism that venerates Shiva as the supreme deity.

How is Maha Shivaratri observed?

Maha Shivaratri is observed with night-long vigils (jaagran), fasting (vrat), temple worship, recitation of Shiva prayers and mantras (especially the Panchakshari mantra "Om Namah Shivaya"), and pilgrimage to the twelve Jyotirlingas (sacred Shiva shrines) including Varanasi, Somnath, and Kedarnath. Devotees also bathe in the Ganges, offer milk and bael leaves to Shiva Lingams, and observe strict fasting.

Where is Maha Shivaratri a public holiday?

Maha Shivaratri is a gazetted public holiday in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. In India, it is observed in all states (although the holiday is more culturally significant in North India and the Himalayan states where Shiva worship is concentrated). The Indian government declares Maha Shivaratri as a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

Is Maha Shivaratri related to Shivaratri?

Maha Shivaratri is the most important of the twelve Shivaratris observed each year. Each month of the Hindu lunar calendar has a Shivaratri on the 13th night of the dark fortnight; Maha Shivaratri is the one in the month of Phalguna (Feb-March) and is called "Maha" (great) because it is considered the most spiritually significant.

What is the significance of staying awake on Maha Shivaratri?

The night-long vigil (jaagran) symbolizes the conquest of darkness and ignorance. Hindu mythology holds that Shiva performs his cosmic dance (Tandava) at midnight on this night, and devotees who stay awake are believed to receive his blessings. Many temples organize all-night prayer sessions with continuous chanting of the Shiva Panchakshari mantra.

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