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12 Best Places to Celebrate Maha Shivratri Festival 2024 in India

Published By: Jignesh Gohel on February 7, 2024

Are you planning a unique trip to celebrate the Maha Shivratri? Looking for the best places to celebrate this divine festival of India? If yes, then you are at the right place!

11 Best Places to Celebrate Maha Shivratri Festival in India

Maha Shivratri, which exactly deciphers to the “Great Night of Shiva”, is a Hindu festival celebrated in India along with Nepal. The festival is celebrated on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalgun according to the Hindu lunar calendar which is referred to as February/March as per the Gregorian calendar.  

Shiva temple

The day is celebrated to worship Lord Shiva. It is said that after the Earth met devastation, Goddess Parwati vowed with Lord Shiva to save the world. Delighted with her prayers, Lord Shiva decided to save the world on the ploy that the populaces of the Earth would have to revere him with commitment and passion. This is why it is known as Maha Shivratri and people initiated revering Shiva with great zeal.

Mahashivratri 2024 Date, Time & Significance

Mahashivratri Date – Friday, 8th March 2024

Disciples fast and devote the day to religious fervor worshiping Lord Shiva. Many devotees also take part in the “jaagran” organized in various Shiva temples across the country. Because Lord Shiva is considered an austere God, Mahashivratri is prevalent with celibates. Thandai, a drink made with bhang (cannabis), almonds, and milk, is principally drunk by the devout on the day as cannabis is supposed to be a favorite of Shiva.

Why is Maha Shivratri Celebrated?

There are several beliefs among people regarding the Maha Shivratri celebration. One common belief is that it is the celebration of Shiva and Parvati’s marriage. People also enthusiastic to know about what is the difference between Shivratri and Maha Shivratri.

It is correct that Shivratri and Maha Shivratri are celebrated for their own reason. Shivratri is celebrated because Lord Shiva saves the world by keeping blue poison in their throat, which emerged during Samudra Manthan. After this incident lord, Shiva became ‘Nil Kanth.’

Maha Shivratri Shahi Snan at Magh Mela

magh mela(Ardh Kumbh Mela)Sadhus

The Magh Mela is happening this year in Prayagraj, Allahabad. You can participate in the Mahashivratri Sahi Snan on 8th March 2024. Many devotees find visiting Prayagraj during the Magh Mela and taking part in the Mahashivratri Sahi Snan to be a special experience.

Where is Maha Shivaratri Celebrated in India?

Mahashivratri is being celebrated in all over India, hence the festival is not limited to any specific place or region. But, there are a few popular shiva temples and places in India where devotees can worship lord shiva with full of energy and a devotional environment. Here we have listed a couple of such places in India where you can go and celebrate Mahashivratri to experience the divinity.

  • Nilkanth Mahadev Temple, Haridwar, Uttarakhand
  • Umananda Temple, Guwahati, Assam
  • Bhavnath Taleti, Junagadh, Gujarat
  • Matangeshwar Temple, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
  • Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
  • Srisaila Mallikarjuna Temple, Andhra Pradesh
  • Bhootnath Temple, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh
  • Tilbhandeshwar Temple, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
  • Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gujarat
  • Lokanatha Temple, Puri, Odisha
  • Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple, Veraval, Gujarat
  • Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Below are the best places to celebrate Maha Shivratri and worship Lord Shiva.

Places to Celebrate Maha Shivratri

Though almost in every state of India, Mahashivratri is being celebrated joyously but below are the 12 Best places to celebrate Maha Shivratri.

1. Nilkanth Mahadev Temple, Haridwar, Uttarakhand

Nilkanth Mahadev Temple

Visited by many devotees during Mahashivratri this place is known for its ghats which are obviously visited by individuals who offer prayers at Har ki Pauri. Most disciples are seen at the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple and several others will perhaps discover someplace to exercise yoga or relish specific adventure sports.

This religious tour to Haridwar can also give you an added advantage where you can go for river rafting in Rishikesh and can also explore the amazing places around.

2. Umananda Temple, Guwahati, Assam

Umananda Temple

Image Source: Holidify

The Umananda Temple here observes one of the leading Mahashivratri celebrations in India. The temple is situated on the peacock island in the Brahmaputra River. Many devotees across the nation travel to Guwahati only to observe the outstanding fiesta held here.

3. Bhavnath Taleti, Junagadh, Gujarat

Gir Forest View from the Top of Girnar Parvat

Gir Forest View from the Top of Girnar Parvat – Image by – Mayank Batavia

Junagadh is not just famous for Gir national park but it is the home to Sadhus who stay across the Gir forest and bhavnath taleti. During Maha Shivaratri, Junagadh attracts thousands of people from all around India to “Shivratri Mela”.

The fair starts prior to 5 days and ends on the day of Maha Shivratri. If you are in Gujarat, this place is a must-visit during the Maha Shivratri to experience the culture and sadhutva. Apart from Maha Shivratri Mela, you can also enjoy Girnar mountain climbing, Gujarat’s highest peak.

4. Matangeshwar Temple, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

Matangeshwar temple, Madhya Pradesh

Here Maha Shivratri is celebrated with great splendor and dedication. People take a dip in the Sagar tank along with a large number of people visiting the Matangeshwar Temple for the 10 days long fair. This fair is been visited by people from all age-groups, who come to offer prayers and strive for blessings from Shiva for prosperity.

5. Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

mahakaleshwar-temple-ujjain

It Is celebrated mainly in Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple. It is among the 12 world-famous Jyortirlings as well. The festival is celebrated on the banks of River Kshipra. In line with a widespread folktale related to Mahakal Temple, a demon named, Dushana tortured the inhabitants of Avanti.  Lord Shiva then appeared from the ground and beaten the demon. Then, as per the wish of Avanti’s people, Shiva took up an enduring home here as Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga.

6. Srisaila Mallikarjuna Temple, Andhra Pradesh

srisailam-temple-ujjain

The Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple here is home to one among the 12 Jyortirlings as well. Despite the wedding of Shiva and Parwati here, Mahashivratri also celebrated as the day when Shiva did the tandav.

7. Bhootnath Temple, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh

mandi-mahashivratri
Image Source: Wikipedia

Mandi being a small town in Himachal Pradesh is one of the best places to celebrate Mahashivratri. Mandi’s Bhootnath Temple hosts the festival. According to the folk tale, around 5 centuries back, the imperial family of Mandi initiated the week-long custom of organizing a Mahashivratri Fair. This fair has now been looked ahead not only by Indian disciples, but by intercontinental tourists as well.

8. Tilbhandeshwar Temple, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Tibhandeshwar Mahadev Varanasi

Although entire Varanasi unites in re-ratifying the wedding ritual of God Shiva and Goddess Parwati, the significant place for proposing prayers is the Tilbhandeshwar Temple in south Varanasi. This is among the few places in India where people dance in processions after drinking bhang and thandai.

9. Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gujarat

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga
Image Source: Gujarat Tourism

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is a Shiva temple near Dwarka in Gujarat, India. It attracts many Shiva devotees during Mahashivratri. The celebrations include devotion, prayers, and special rituals. The atmosphere is filled with chants and bhajans. The temple is decorated with lights and flowers. Priests of the temple do abhisheka of Shiv Ling with milk, honey, sugar, ghee, yogurt, and water. Devotees observe day-long fasts and engage in prayer and meditation. Mahashivratri at Nageshwar Jyotirlinga in Devbhoomi Dwarka offers a great spiritual experience.

10. Lokanatha Temple, Puri, Odisha

lokanath-temple
Image Source: Wikimedia

It is said that Lord Rama himself mounted the linga in the Lokanatha Temple in Puri. This is the main reason, why this temple is so famous among Shiva’s devotees. This linga is kept underwater the entire year and just 3 days before Mahashivratri, the water is removed to divulge the linga. Many disciples rush to the temple for a darshan of this linga and seek out Lord Shiva’s consecration.

11. Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple, Veraval, Gujarat

somnath temple

Somnath temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas shrines of Lord shiva. It is located in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. On the occasion of the Maha Shivratri festival, the Somanath mandir is decorated with LED lights and so many flowers.

A huge number of devotees visit here during this holy festival. In the Somanath temple, a Large LED is displayed for the people to avail live darshan and shiv puja.  Priests of the Somanath temple do abhisheka of Shiv Ling with milk, honey, sugar, ghee, yogurt, and water. The sound of the temple and Aum Namah Shivaya Scream make a spiritual atmosphere.

12. Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Aadi yogi

Isha Yoga Center was founded by Indian Yogi and author Sadhguru. It is located at Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Sadhguru established a 112-foot steel statue of Shiva (Adiyogi Shiva Statue), which is considered the largest burst sculpture in the world.

On the Mahashivatri festival, There is a special celebration is held at this place. Amazing dance and music performances are held including meditation. Visitors enjoy the night-long sat sang with Sadhguru.

Besides above mentioned 12 best places to celebrate Maha Shivratri in India there are many amazing places where you can see altogether a different set of celebrations and level of excitement among devotees.

You can also visit Nashik (Maharashtra), Srikala Hasti (Andhra Pradesh), and Kashmir Valley where Lord Shiva’s disciples fast, pray and organize fairs as part of celebrations.

FAQs on Maha Shivratri Festival in India:

Where is Maha Shivratri mainly celebrated?

There are many Indian states that celebrate Maha Shivaratri, including Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar.

Which is the biggest Shivratri Mela in India?

The biggest Shivaratri event, which lasts seven days, is conducted at the Bhootnath temple in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

How to celebrate Mahashivratri?

On the day of Mahashivratri, people fast the whole day and night. Almost all temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. People engage in special prayers and rituals, known as puja, to honor the divine presence of Mahadev.

What is the story behind Mahashivratri?

The story behind Mahashivratri is that Lord Shiva and Maa Shakti celebrated their second marriage on this night. This special occasion is the reason why we celebrate ‘The Night of Lord Shiva(Mahashivratri).’

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34 thoughts on “12 Best Places to Celebrate Maha Shivratri Festival 2024 in India

  1. Prem Kumar

    February 18, 2023 at 6:40 am

    Har har mahadev temple of isha yoga center 🌹🙏🌹

    Reply
    1. TheIndia

      February 20, 2023 at 4:49 pm

      Har har Mahadev 🙏. Thank you for your comment, Prem Kumar.

      Reply
  2. Naveen Kumar

    February 1, 2022 at 4:38 pm

    Isha yoga center is one of my favorite destination to celebrate Maha Shivaratri. Especially the dance, music performances and the meditation they do are top notch!

    Reply
    1. TheIndia

      April 7, 2022 at 5:51 pm

      Thank you Naveen ji for sharing your favorite Place to celebrate Maha Shivaratri. Hope you had a great experience at Isha Yoga Center last Shivratri.

      Reply
  3. Satrughna

    March 11, 2021 at 12:34 pm

    Lord Lingaraj Temple, in the Temple City and the state capital of Odisha Bhubaneswar, is one such major destinations for Maha Shiva Ratri.

    Reply
  4. Pitla Raju

    March 5, 2021 at 10:34 am

    26 • Vemulawada Rajeshwara Temple,
    Vemulawada, Jagityal, Telangana

    Reply
  5. Nilesh JAGTAP

    March 4, 2021 at 6:51 am

    This celebrate in Maharashtra please is called BHIMASHANKAR

    Reply
  6. ભટૃ હરગોવિંદ

    February 26, 2021 at 3:03 pm

    જય હો વિશ્રવ શ્રેષઠ ભારતીય પ્રાચિન
    આધયાતમિક શાત્રો–આયુષ શાત્રો વિજ્ઞાન–જીવન શાત્ર–જે વિશ્રવના કોઇ દેશ પાસે ન હોય શકે ! ,વંદે રૂષિઓ,

    Reply
  7. Shivam Shukla

    February 23, 2021 at 1:04 am

    Isha yoga center is the best as sadguru is among awekned human like buddha ,I suggest isha center if any one want best place to go.as I too want to go there too ,at least u can visite him if any one wants.

    Reply
  8. B sardar singh

    January 9, 2021 at 7:24 am

    Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh.. most visited place

    Reply
  9. Prasoon Joshi

    April 27, 2020 at 8:19 pm

    In my opinion the best place to celebrate is in Coimbatore where 112feet adiyogi statue is situated with sadhguru

    Reply
  10. Mohit

    February 21, 2020 at 4:23 pm

    This places are also necessary to all person because there’s many priest comes on day. This night all of person are going to temple and prayer to God. Please God given me wise so that i am making a good person in world.

    Reply
    1. TheIndia

      February 21, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      Very well said Mohit Ji,

      Mahadev gives you all the happiness you deserve.

      Reply
  11. Shreekant kabadi

    February 21, 2020 at 2:45 pm

    I visited all 9 places. Haridwar and Junagadha are best places.

    Reply
    1. TheIndia

      February 21, 2020 at 3:05 pm

      Thats amazing to know that you visited all 9 places.

      Shreekant ji, do you suggest any other places that can be added in this post about Shivratri celebration?

      Reply
      1. Prashant Upadhyay

        March 11, 2021 at 9:00 pm

        Pashupatinath Temple. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Pashupatinath is one of the four most important religious sites in Asia.(Kathmandu Nepal)
        Please can add this temple.

        Reply
  12. Bunny

    February 21, 2020 at 11:27 am

    This Festival Is Also In My City Ulhasnagar 421005

    Reply
    1. TheIndia

      February 21, 2020 at 1:49 pm

      Yes, Maha Shivratri is being celebrated in most part of the country.

      Happy Shivratri

      Reply
  13. Sai Balaji

    February 21, 2020 at 11:13 am

    It seems No temples in South India.
    Please refresh the listing.

    Reply
    1. TheIndia

      February 21, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      Thank you Sai Balaji for your feedback and we would love to refresh the list with more places.

      According to you, which places from South India we should cover in this article?

      Reply
      1. Prasoon Joshi

        April 27, 2020 at 8:22 pm

        In Coimbatore a great night with sadguru . People can see the Adiyogi Divya Darshanam

        Reply
  14. Mukesh yadav

    February 21, 2020 at 9:22 am

    Haridwar is best place for shivratri

    Reply
    1. TheIndia

      February 21, 2020 at 1:54 pm

      Good know your views Mukesh Ji,

      Nilkanth Mahadev temple is surrounded by natural beauty and one can feel the divinity there.

      Reply
  15. Alokkumar Jha

    March 5, 2019 at 8:40 pm

    Nice list of places. I am planning to visit Ujjain.

    Reply
  16. Pallab Ganguly

    March 5, 2019 at 2:47 pm

    Very nice place in Varanasi

    Reply
  17. Bala

    March 4, 2019 at 10:09 pm

    Super

    Reply
  18. bhau

    March 4, 2019 at 9:29 pm

    Nashik is my fv place

    Reply
  19. Pradeep vashishta

    March 4, 2019 at 8:26 pm

    Have a great journey haridwar

    Reply
  20. Maha Shivratri

    February 23, 2019 at 11:42 am

    I like this website pretty much. Great info. Hi and thanks for the web blogs.

    Reply
  21. sai varma

    February 4, 2019 at 4:06 pm

    Plz suggest any one
    1. Ujjain
    or
    2.Omkareshwar

    which one place would i experience the best mahasivaratri?

    Reply
    1. Ashish

      February 21, 2020 at 10:09 am

      Where are you now depends on it. But ujjain is more convinent as like more places and easy to reach there by any transportation.

      Reply
      1. TheIndia

        February 21, 2020 at 1:52 pm

        Very true,
        When you are in Ujain on Shivratri, No better place than Mahakaleshwar temple for sure.

        Reply
  22. Isha Chopra

    February 6, 2018 at 5:17 pm

    Nice list of places. I am planning to visit Varanasi this year for MahaShivratri

    Reply
    1. TheIndia

      February 7, 2018 at 12:33 pm

      Thank you Isha for your comment,

      Varanasi is one of the best Maha Shivratri destination of India where you can not only experience the divinity but also can experience the culture and diversity. Do share your experience with us once you are back.

      Have a great journey.

      Reply

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