Sivaratri, “Shiva’s Night,” is an annual observance on the fourteenth day of the dark lunar fortnight of Phalguna (Tamil Panguni), which usually falls in February or March. For worshippers of Siva, Sivaratri is the most important religious holiday in the year. Sivaratri is a vrata or vow that worshippers undertake to seek Siva’s intervention in their lives, to praise Siva, or to please him. The main components of Sivaratri are fasting, keeping awake all night, and worshipping his Lingam with Bilva leaves and offering a sacred bath (abhishekam) with various substances, especially milk. Sivaratri is celebrated all over India.

Stories about the origin of Sivaratri may be found in many of the Mahapuranas, such as the Garuda, Padma, and Skanda Puranas. A common theme in all of these texts is that the worship of Siva’s Lingam on Sivaratri is so powerful that it can bring about wonderful results even if it was done accidentally or unintentionally.