Herath Celebration of Kashmiri Pandits
There exists an unspecified, unexplainable energy that pushes the people of the world into life. Yet, scientists succeeded not in giving it a name. However, saints in the past spoke of that unknown energy as Shiva, the energy that is believed to give life to all living beings. Shiva is the energy that gives us the opportunity to breathe, to eat, to walk, and to carry on our daily activities. Shiva is the energy that drives all life and dwells into non-living entities as energy. That is why Shiva drives existence. Shiva literally means nothingness, but it is nothingness that creates everything and thus is what creates everything. Shiva, when understood in this way, means there is a nothingness out of which everything is created and thus Shiva is present in everything. Therefore, Shiva represents universal energy directing individuals to act and carry out activities. Mahashivratri is the night of constant awakening and bliss. In our daily grind for a meatier life, we forget our source of energy that keeps us alive. The land of India is rich and vivid in festivals and fairs and celebrates many festivals, competition-wise, Mahashivratri is the standout and is celebrated all over the nation. But for Kashmiris, the festival of Mahashivratri has special significance because they celebrate this festival in a unique, special, and different manner. Mahashivratri provides an opportunity to remember and raise our consciousness regarding the basis of our existence. The question arises, why do we celebrate Shivratri? There are numerous stories to explain Shivratri. Once Lord Shiva wed Parvati on this very day, so the day heralds the celebration of this sacred union.
Another popular legend says that during the churning of the ocean by Gods and demons with the aim of getting back the ambrosia that lay hidden in the depths of the ocean, a pot containing poison emerged. Lord Shiva drank it and saved both the Gods and mankind. The poison lodged in the Lord's throat, causing his skin to turn blue. Thus Shivratri is celebrated in homage to the savior of the world. The Ganges was captured and dissolved into many streams from Shiva's matted locks so that it could descend upon the Earth without causing any ruin. On this special night, a ceremonial bath is given to the Shivalinga in memory of him. Another legend speaks of the Goddess Ganga falling from Heaven with great force and that the Lord Shiva caught her within his matted locks and allowed her to descend to the Earth as several streams. This spared the Earth from utter destruction. That night, the Shivalinga is bathed in tribute to Him.
Popularly believed, God Sadashiv, the formless, appeared as Lingodhbhav Moorthi. This is the reason for all-night celebrations-this entire night they stay awake, praying to God. Some such stories may explain the observance of Shivratri. But what do we do during Shivratri? For the spiritual seekers, Mahashivratri is extremely sacred. It is also usually important to those engaged in the path of worldly ambitions and to many who take a spiritual path. For householders, it is the annual day when Shiva married Parvati. For those ardently pursuing worldly success, it is the day Shiva destroyed all the dreaded foes. So for the ascetics, this is the day when Shiva became one with the great mountain, which is essentially immovable on the physical plane, just as Mount Kalilash in India is. It is immovable-it became a mountain-on that particular day. In the Yogic tradition, he is worshipped as a God, but considered as Adi Guru, the first Guru-the one from whom the science of Yoga took birth. This is known as Mahashivratri, on this day he ceased all movement-becoming absolutely still. Hence, ascetics see Shivratri as the night of stillness. It is the Mahashivratri signifying one of those opportunities, that vast endless abyss deep within every human being that is planted with the seed of creation. On the one hand, Shiva is the destroyer. On the other hand, he is best known as the most compassionate. He is the most relevant and the greatest of the givers. The stories told among yogis about Shiva's compassion are numerous. The ways in which his compassion is expressed can be believed to be really wondrous and at the same time countlessly astonishing. So, Maha Shivratri presents a beautiful night for receiving as much. It is our wish and blessing that you must not pass this night without even knowing for at least a moment the wideness of this emptiness which we call as Shiva. Let this night not just be a night of wakefulness, let all wake to the experience of true awakening.
Maha Shivratri is one of the most potent festivals of Hindus, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is being celebrated on February 26 (Wednesday) in all over the country. It holds a great significance for Hindus across the globe and is one of the most widely celebrated festivals all over the country. This day commemorates the marriage of Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati. Devotees visit Shiv-Parvati temples to seek blessings and also observe fast on this day. Maha Shivratri falls this year on Chaturdashi Tithi during Krishna Paksha in the month of Magha in the South Indian Calendar or the Amavasyant Hindu lunar calendar, whereas according to the North Indian calendar or the Poornimant lunar calendar, Maha Shivaratri constitutes the Masik Shivartri of the month of Phalguna. It is celebrated as the marriage of Goddess Parvati and Shiva. This is to say the most popular legend associated with Maha Shivratri. The day signifies the marriage between the Lord and his consort. After Sati, Shiva pressed into meditative renunciation. These days, Shiva was known as an almost austere stoney with hermitic austerity. The birth of Parvati, is worth the sake that now Sati shall win the love of Shiva yet again and be his consort was a means for Sati to have reincarnated into the world. Countless years of austere penance: only to attract Shiva's gaze did she undergo. Deep devotion, faith, and weight beyond measure; these were some of Shiva's considerations in taking Parvati as his lawful wife. The wedding took place on the 14th of dark half of the month Phalguna. Relevant to the tale of stirring up of the ocean or Samudra Mamthan. The Devas and the Asuras were dumb heads as they started turning the ocean or awful ideas to get hold of the elixir, the Amrit, which could bestow immortality.
A number of benefic delicacies appeared from the ocean, along with the Halahala, the poison that could ruin the creation. In order to protect life and this universe from destruction by it, Lord Vishnu instructed the Devas to reach out to help from Lord Shiva, who alone was capable of consuming the poison. Lord Shiva was further obliged to drink Halahala. Goddess Parvati with fear of poison ruining him pressed Shiva's throat, and the poor poison came to rest in his throat. Halahala could not inflict further harm on Shiva but blackened Lord Shiva's neck. Therefore, He came to be called Neelakantha. To prevent Halahala from working against Him, the Devas and devotees of the Lord conducted a sleepless night at the behest of the Lord, singing praises and performing dances. The Shivlinga emerged henceforth, Once an argument arose between Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma as to whose is supreme. This caused much disturbance in the Devaloka and the Devas reached out to Lord Shiva to help them. In order to make both Brahma and Vishnu understand that something ruled over them and had existed beyond their being, Shiva appeared as a resplendent flame in the shape of a Lingam and challenged Brahma and Vishnu to find out where the flame began and where it ended. Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a boar and as such penetrated into the earth to find the end; Brahma took the form of a Swan and ascended to find the beginning. Since the search was beyond tiresome, Brahma persuaded the Ketaki flower to proclaim against her will that he had found the origin of the beam and report back to Vishnu. This is when Lord Shiva emerged in his full form from the beam. Realising that their argument was futile and their claim to supremacy meaningless, Brahma and Vishnu bowed to Lord Shiva and pleaded forgiveness. Since Shiva appeared in a Linga form on this day, people celebrate his supremacy by remaining awake and chanting mantras honoring him on Maha Shivaratri.
The Hindu Kashmiris, have their own celebrations, which differ from the rest, and hold great significance for them. The Kashmiri Hindus begin preparations for this festival one fortnight before Shivratri. On the day of Shivratri, the head of the family fasts till midnight, when they break their fast after performing the puja. Some vessels would be filled with water and walnuts, and puja performed before them. These are said to represent Lord Shiva, his consort Parvati, their son Ganesh, as well as the Bharavas. It is said that four kernels of the walnut represent the four Vedas. After three days, the nuts that have been worshiped are distributed to relatives and neighbors. The Kashmiri Pandits prepare an array of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and offer these foods to the Baravis on that auspicious night. After the pooja, special meals and puja offerings are then offered to the lingerers, who consume them.
(Vivek Koul)
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