Highlights
- Hindus across the world will be celebrating Mahashivratri on 13th Feb
- This day signifies the defeat of darkness and ignorance
- Most devotees observe a full-day fast and prepare prasad to offer
It is Mahashivratri or the 'great night of Shiva' today. Devotees of Lord Shiva all across the world will be preparing to observe fast and conduct ritual prayers. This Hindu festival is celebrated with much devotion and joy. This day signifies the defeat of darkness and ignorance and is commemorated in order to engage in
remembering Lord Shiva by chanting prayers and observing a fast. On this day, most devotees observe a full-day fast and prepare
prasad to offer to the deity. In most places, devotees make
panchamrit, which is commonly prepared during such
pujas.
Mahashivratri 2018: Prasad prepared during this day
One of the main rituals of lord Shiva
puja is to bathe the shivling with water, milk and honey along with bel leaves. This is followed by applying vermillion to the shivling representing virtuousness. Fresh fruits are then offered to the deity in order to seek his blessings. After this, betel leaves (
paan ka patta) are offered as it is believed that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati themselves had sown the seeds of paan in the Himalayan ranges and it is actually a good omen to offer betel leaves to the deity.
Mahashivratri 2018: Why is Panchamrit Important?
Apart from this, panchamrit is also offered to the God and later served as prasad to the devotees. Panchamrit makes for an important prasad in most Hindu pujas and is considered auspicious and highly-pleasing to the deities. This simple preparation of five ingredients (hence the name) is believed to be a healthy drink that purifies the body.
Mahashivratri 2018: How to make Panchamrit at home?
Panchamrit is prepared using five ingredients that include milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar. Also known as charnamrit, it makes for a popular prasad in Northern India. Here's how you can make this prasad at home on Mahashivratri 2018.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoon curd
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Method
- All you need to do is to take and mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk them well. You can garnish the prasad with tulsi leaves too.
Offer the mixture to the deity and then serve it as prasad. All these five ingredients have some significance-
- Milk signifies purity and piousness
- Honey is for sweetness
- Ghee is for victory
- Sugar is for happiness
- Curd is for prosperity and progeny
Happy Mahashivratri 2018!