Feb 23, For Devotion & Celebration

Shivaratri or Mahashivratri is festival on February 23, wherein Hindu devotees around the world observe Shivratri Vrat or Upvaas or fast. The fasting involves refraining from eating any food and not sleeping through out the night. Shivratri is the day when rituals and worship are given more importance. Sivaratri literally means ‘the night of Lord Shiva’ and unlike other festivals associated with Hinduism there is no fun and merrymaking on the day. How to celebrate Mahasivratri?

• The Mahashivratri fasting begins on the morning of Shivratri and ends next day morning or the Amavasya morning. Since it is a long Upvaas or Vrat, many people consume a special meal known as ‘phalar.’
• Devotees wake up before sunrise and take bath and wear clean clothes.
• Applying of sacred ash, or vibhuthi, is an important aspect on the day. People also wear a Rudraksha Mala.
• The idols of Ganesh, Shiva and Parvati are cleaned and a lamp is lit.
• Most people then visit a nearby Shiva temple. In most places, Shivratri is largely observed in temples.
• Some people observing fast consume a mid-day meal consisting of non-cereal food such as boiled potatoes which is made into a curry without onion, garlic, adarak or haldi. Another food eaten on the day is pakori or Kutt Singahri ki puri.
• Most devotees go for a fruit diet and drink lots of water.
• No meal is eaten after sunset.
• Next meal is taken on the morning of Amavasi after doing puja and giving alms.
• The entire night is spend in a nearby Shiva temple or by chanting Mantras or listening to stories related to Shiva.
• Some of the important mantras that are chanted on the day include:Shiva Panchakshari Mantra – Om Namah Shivaya or chanting the sacred names of Lord Shiva.
• People who have a Shivling at home can bathe the Shivling with water intermittently throughout the night.

All the rituals on the night of Shivratri are an opportunity to cleanse the ignorance and open the door to bliss. The fasting, rituals and chanting are meant to kill desire, greed, illusion, arrogance, jealousy, and anger. This will make a better person and prepare to face the challenges. Resources: http://www.mahashivratri.org/shivaratri-fast.html [website of Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India ] http://www.123greetings.com/events/maha_shivaratri/

Rotary International’s 104th Anniversary Rotary is one of the largest and most influential international humanitarian service organizations in the world. Founded on February 23, 1905, in Chicago, today Rotary has over 1.2 million members who belong to more than 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. As volunteers, Rotary members serve the needs of their communities worldwide. Our Rotary Club of Secunderabad West, joins Rotary clubs around the world to recognize the day, also known as Rotary’s “World Understanding and Peace Day,” by addressing a variety of community concerns. Rotary members conduct projects to address today’s humanitarian challenges, including illiteracy, disease, hunger, poverty, lack of clean water, and environmental concerns while encouraging high standards in all vocations. Rotary members strive to build goodwill and peace, and provide humanitarian service in their communities and throughout the world. Rotary’s top philanthropic goal is to eradicate polio worldwide. To date, Rotary has contributed nearly US$800 million and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. Rotary is currently working to raise an additional $200 million toward a $355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These efforts are providing much needed operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment and educational materials for health workers and parents. I am proud to be associated with this fantastic organization as Rotarian.
Resources:
http://www.rotary.org
http://www.rotaryclubofsecunderabadwest.org