Lord Siva is Mukteswar (one who gives liberation) and Papkateswar (reliever of sins). He is Asutos (quickly and easy to please) and Abdar Dani (bestower of boons). On account of these attributes, people worship him throughout life and especially on the night of Maha Sivaratri, which was celebrated on the night prior to full dark night (Amaveseya) in the month of Magh-Phagun (February-March). When almost all other festivals are celebrated in day time, Mahasivaratri is celebrated in the night, which is symbolic of injustice, ignorance, darkness, sins and evils, atrocities, loot and theft, violence, corruption, treachery, falsehood, downfall and degradation. Siva appeared just before the universe entered Kaliyug, the period of complete darkness (Amaveseya symbolized). Sivaratri is thus celebrated one night before Amaveseya. Siva appeared just in time, so that He could save the world from Tamogun (darkness and ignorance). Siva is known as Hara because he defeated the submersion of the universe into complete darkness. Snakes, lions, peacocks and bulls shown along with Siva's images symbolize freedom from evil exhibiting fearlessness. So on the night prior to Amaveseya, Siva's special worship is done as Mahasivaratri, so that there should be less darkness, less corruption. Great souls have great deeds, so Siva's appearance is utmost great. He appears only when everything is inauspicious and under utter distress.

Unlike Rama and Krishna,who give permanent blessings, Siva gives his blessings and boon, when called for and then he is back to his Sivalok. Invocation of Siva, just before night of complete darkness the fourteenth day of darkness in Phalgun (February), the last month of the year is celebrated on this night.

Worship

Lord Siva has no bodily or worldly form, but only divine, devotional and celestial form. One can only meet his grace, when one should not imagine him as a worldly figure and when you see him from your inner soul-conscience. Siva's form is like a point as the soul is. Forgetting all other worldly poisons (passion, anger, greed, affection and ego) one should only devote on one point 'Siva'. Then only, one can gain blessings from the Lord and be contented, comfortable and really happy. The present times of treachery, deception, falsehood, corruption and evil, demand full devotion and invocation of Lord Siva, so that he may remove the darkness, ignorance and evil, prevailing today. True worship of God Siva is the need of the hour.

On Sivaratri, Siva is worshipped in the form of Lingodbhavamurti, the pillar of fire that appears to span the neither world and the sky, but has indeed neither a beginning nor an end. Linga means sign, also smoke. It denotes a manifestation of that which is not manifested, a form of the formless, a hint and glimpse of the unknown and the unknowable. It is a scrawl made by an artist to portray that which cannot be portrayed even on a canvas as big and large as the heavens, a blind sculptor's groping towards an all encompassing truth.

Even the Gods cannot comprehend Lingodbhavamurti. Visnu, who reposes on the coils of Ananta (snake), is awestruck by the fiery manifestation. On an impulse, he frees himself from the embraces of Lakshmi, rides his boar and goes out looking for the origin of the pillar of fire. Down, down he goes, into the bowels of space. many worlds below the earth. But he fails in his quest. B'rhma, who is seated on the lotus, sprung from the naval of Visnu, goes on a similar adventure riding his Hamsa' (swan), the divine gander. He soars into the sky, beyond the clouds, beyond the world of Gandharvas, beyond Dhruva and Saptarishi. But he fails to discover the crown of Lingodbhava. The Gods, too cannot know that, which has neither a beginning nor an end.

On Sivaratri, the worship of Lingodbhavamurti is with Bilva leaves, heaps of bilva gathered from quince trees tended with godly respect and affection. We bring baskets full of Nandi flowers, dronapushpa, parijata and ixora red like the lips of Uma.

In Andhra Pradesh,the Sri Kalahasteswara temple at Kalahasti and the Bharamarambha Malikarjunaswamy temple at Srisailam, are thronged by Pilgrims, during the festival in February-March. It is a time for them to solemnly invoke Lord Siva through fasts and chants.

In Rajasthan, on fourteenth day of Phalgun (February-March) is observed as Mahasivaratri, special puja is arranged on this auspicious occasion. A fair is held at Dabeswarji in `Jaipur.

In Assam, the night of Siva is celebrated by his many devotees congregating on Peacock island, which holds the Umananda temple. They keep an all night vigil chanting prayers and hymns during this festival, normally held in March.

Indo-Mauritians are very proud of their Hinduism, but not rigid about it. On a great lake, known as Ganga Sagar, Sivaratri is celebrated with great fervour by thousands of pilgrims. It is dotted with temples, but curiously the one closest to the parking lot has a diorama of Lord Siva as Mount Kailash, but no Siva Linga, Nandi, bell or circumambulatory.