-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Sivaratri approaching
- Thread starter Vinayaka
- Start date
As I'll be out on the eastern fringes this year I'm going to celebrate at the massive big temple out there. Maybe. I really want to go but I've been sick for the past fortnight and I am worried I will still be sick then. If not I will stay the whole night. If I am, I will go after the first puja.
At SV last year there were 5 mahabhishekams, one to Lingam and four to different Nataraja murtis, with bhajan singing in between. Lasts from 9pm-6am. Then you can go up the hill and catch the 6.30am puja in the Shakti temple if you want to then. Then you can have breakfast. In theory you can then wait for the 9.30am Vishnu puja, or get to work, but I bottled it and went to bed at that point.
Fireside_Hindu
Jai Lakshmi Maa
Our temple's program starts tonight with bhajans and pritibhoj each evening until Friday, when the program goes until midnight.
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Very far away from any Shiva temples sadly 
. Will do fasting, and sing some bhajans to Lord Shiva, maybe read some pastimes.
. Will do fasting, and sing some bhajans to Lord Shiva, maybe read some pastimes.
The temple I go to has been getting rather weird for the last couple of Sivaratris.
It seems to bring out some oddballs. Not really sure why, but I have my suspicions. I got asked to speak at a funeral for friends last week, so have yet to ask our priest about going to funerals and temple attendance protocol (same day), but plan to do so tomorrow.
It seems to bring out some oddballs. Not really sure why, but I have my suspicions. I got asked to speak at a funeral for friends last week, so have yet to ask our priest about going to funerals and temple attendance protocol (same day), but plan to do so tomorrow.
Oddballs? How oddball-y?
Disrespectful kids, thinking Sivaratri is some dope smoking party, or others thinking its more a festive occasion like Deepavali, just lots of good food. You know. But if we wait until that crowd this out, its pretty great still.
The temple has quite the agenda starting at 5 pm and going until after 3:30 am. I'd like to go to show reverence and gratitude to Sri Shiva. I'd go after work and stay until at least 7:30 - 8:00. But as per usual, something will **** me off royally, and I won't go so as to not bring negativity.
Here's the program.
Here's the program.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
My wife has brought the garlands. She will go early in the morning and keep a fast. Because of the fast, she cancelled our intended trip to Jaipur to meet a friend. That goes for all religious holdidays, for example, Navaratra. She has to be at home. Me - I am an atheist, I will have one-to-one talk with Lord Shiva.
So the question I want to ask everyone is this; how different is a southern Shivaratri to a Northern style? I have decided to go out to our biggest temple here, the Shri Shiva Vishnu temple which is over an hour from where I live. It's schedule is much like Jai's temple's schedule. I typically celebrate at a Northern temple and after midnight everyone buggers off save for me and maybe one or two others, as a result we don't have the official pujas after midnight. How formal/informal will it be?
My local Durga Temple will be celebrating tomorrow Friday from 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM, there will be a 6:00 PM Puja, 9:00 PM Puja, 11:00 PM Puja, 12:00 AM Abhishekam Shringar, Bhajans, Archana, Arti and Mahayagna.
By the way, there seems to be more women who show up at my temple for Shivratri than men. Have others observed the same?
Shankarji ki Jai - this has been a particularly exciting and beneficial good time for me, and no doubt a Shivratri of auspicious year. I just FEEL it, more great days through this year to come. Special worship of Shiva continues through the nightlong prayer vigil.
By the way, there seems to be more women who show up at my temple for Shivratri than men. Have others observed the same?
Shankarji ki Jai - this has been a particularly exciting and beneficial good time for me, and no doubt a Shivratri of auspicious year. I just FEEL it, more great days through this year to come. Special worship of Shiva continues through the nightlong prayer vigil.
Last edited:
I think there is great variance all around, depending on what the specific temple authorities decide to do. My guess is that this temple will be formal for the priests and pujas, but relaxed and informal for the devotees. Looking forward to your report.
Fireside_Hindu
Jai Lakshmi Maa
Helped some of the ladies at my temple last night with making garlands for all the murtis in preparation for Shivratri tonight. I was able to practice a bit of Hindi with them to much laughter. They explained that because they are from Fiji their Hindi is full of slang from the Fijian language so when I would ask what a word meant they would tell me but say not to use it since I was learning "Shudh Hindi" (proper/formal). It was a fun time and I always love making garlands. Leaned a thing or two about how to string in different ways than I am used to.
Tonight is the big night. I may not stay late but I will definitely go for a few hours. I learned a new Shiva Mantra which I very much like because it includes Shakti:
Aum Hreem Namah Shivaya
Here's the program for my temple. I designed the poster at the temple president's request:
Tonight is the big night. I may not stay late but I will definitely go for a few hours. I learned a new Shiva Mantra which I very much like because it includes Shakti:
Aum Hreem Namah Shivaya
Here's the program for my temple. I designed the poster at the temple president's request:
Just the other day I learned about Fijian Hindi, so I assume it is a bit like the way French Creole is to French. Some day I will ask here more.
Enjoy your evening.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Two things:
Prime Minister Modi inaugurated a 112 ft. bust of Lord Shiva (Isha Foundtion of Sadhguru - it is filled with 'samagri'). I think the money spent on it was a waste and the Prime Minister should not have associated with it. We are building other statues also. A Sardar Patel statue on Narmada Dam and a Shivaji statue in the sea at Mumbai. I do not know which other state also has statues in mind. We will be spending thousands of crores of rupees on these statues. I think the money could be better utilized in service of the people.
The Kashmiris observe Shivaratri (Herat) the night before when the other Hindus celebrate it. That is when the Great Cat, 'Ram Braur', visits our houses. We open the door of the house after asking it as to what has it brought. 'Ram Braur' says that he has brought health and prosperity (Some elder member of the household impersonates 'Ram Braur' and knocks at the door).
The other important festival is 'Khichmavas' (Khichadi (Risotto) Amavasya). That is when we install a pestle as 'Yaksha devta' with a piece of unspun cotton on the head. Yaksha is to be feared because it may bring terrible snow if it so desires, so he has to be treated with utmost honor and we have to be careful not to displease him in any way. "Khichmavas" comes before the snow fall and "Herat" towards the end of it. So, I consider these festivals related to seasons.
Prime Minister Modi inaugurated a 112 ft. bust of Lord Shiva (Isha Foundtion of Sadhguru - it is filled with 'samagri'). I think the money spent on it was a waste and the Prime Minister should not have associated with it. We are building other statues also. A Sardar Patel statue on Narmada Dam and a Shivaji statue in the sea at Mumbai. I do not know which other state also has statues in mind. We will be spending thousands of crores of rupees on these statues. I think the money could be better utilized in service of the people.
The Kashmiris observe Shivaratri (Herat) the night before when the other Hindus celebrate it. That is when the Great Cat, 'Ram Braur', visits our houses. We open the door of the house after asking it as to what has it brought. 'Ram Braur' says that he has brought health and prosperity (Some elder member of the household impersonates 'Ram Braur' and knocks at the door).
The other important festival is 'Khichmavas' (Khichadi (Risotto) Amavasya). That is when we install a pestle as 'Yaksha devta' with a piece of unspun cotton on the head. Yaksha is to be feared because it may bring terrible snow if it so desires, so he has to be treated with utmost honor and we have to be careful not to displease him in any way. "Khichmavas" comes before the snow fall and "Herat" towards the end of it. So, I consider these festivals related to seasons.
Last edited:
Sadly I do not think I will be attending an evening service. I have been to two temples (one I have not visited in four or so years!), one a hard Shaiva temple dedicated to Ganesha and the other a big conglomeration temple (Shri Shiva Vishnu temple) that is celebrating the entire night.
Why won't I be attending despite wanting to? I have a migraine. It started while we were still at the SSV temple and it's just getting worse as time goes on. I cannot be in a loud place at this time...
Lord Shiva, why do you not want me to attend? Regardless, hara hara mahadeva!
Why won't I be attending despite wanting to? I have a migraine. It started while we were still at the SSV temple and it's just getting worse as time goes on. I cannot be in a loud place at this time...
Lord Shiva, why do you not want me to attend? Regardless, hara hara mahadeva!
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Fiji Hindi in its pure form is very similiar to the dialect of Hindi spoken in Bihar in India, especially in the villages. My fathers family have their origins in the north of India, and when I listen to their Fiji Hindi, it is very very similiar to Bihar dialects.
like in Hindi:
kya kar rahen hain? (what are you doing?)
becomes simply
konchi karta?
Got back from a friends house about an hour ago. About 5 of us spent the entire night staying awake*, fasting, singing songs, and performing abhishek and aarti to Shivalingam for 12 hours straight. We broke fast this morning with a meal of rice, pakora, soy (meatless) fish filets, and sambar.
*Okay, I cheated and got about 3 hours of sleep. But that was only becasue I had to head back to town early in the morning and didn't want to do that completely sleep deprived.
*Okay, I cheated and got about 3 hours of sleep. But that was only becasue I had to head back to town early in the morning and didn't want to do that completely sleep deprived.