Trimurti Shiv Darshan – celebrating Shivaratri Shivaratri, also known as Maha Shivratri, means the ‘The Night of ’ and is celebrated with devotion and religious fervour in honour of Lord Shiva. Celebrating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe fasting and perform ritual worship of a Shiva (an oval image which represents the form of God) to appease Lord Shiva. Devotees strongly believe that sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri, absolves a person of sins and liberates him from the cycle of birth and death. Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious for women. While married women pray for the well being of their husbands, unmarried women pray for a husband like Lord Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband. To mark the Shivratri festival, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in the river Ganga. After wearing fresh new clothes they visit the nearest Shiva temple to give ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum with milk, honey, water etc. Trimurti Shiv Darshan means “glimpse of three forms of Shiva or God”. Amarnath , Somnath and Rameshwaram are three well known and important spiritual pilgrimage places in and it is said that one must make the pilgrimage to these shrines at least once in a lifetime.

Figure 1: Lord Amarnath Amarnath is located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and situated on Mount Amarnath. Inside the Amarnath cave lies an ice stalagmite which resembles a Shiva Linga. According to Hindu mythology, this is the cave where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine consort, . The Amarnath caves are one of the most famous shrines in . Dedicated to the god Shiva, the shrine is said to be over 5,000 years old. Somnath means "The Protector of (the) Moon God". The is known as the Shrine Eternal, because it has been destroyed and rebuilt six times. It is located in the Prabhas Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra, on the western coast of , and is considered the most sacred of the twelve shrines of the God Shiva. According to legend Soma (Moon God) loved only one of his wives, all of whom happened to be the daughters of Daksha (his father-in-law). His other wives complained about Soma’s negligent behaviour to their father Daksha, who cursed Soma to wane. Soma then built a Shivlinga at the Prabhas tirth (a Hindu pilgrimage) and prayed to Lord Shiva who removed the curse partially, causing the periodic waning of moon. Pleased by the prayers Soma, Lord Shiva decided to rest in that Lingam till eternity, and thus the Jyotirlingam (a light filled image).

Figure 2: Ramanathar temple Likewise, is a famous dedicated to god Shiva located in the island of in the state of . It is considered to be one of the holiest places in India to , and part of the pilgrimages. According to legend, this is the place from where Lord built a bridge Ram Setu (also known as Adam's Bridge) across the sea to Lanka to rescue Sita from her abductor .

Trimurti Shiv Darshan will be held in Auckland and Wellington : Auckland Date/ Time: Sunday 6 March, 9am – 8pm Venue: Auckland Indian Association, Dining Hall, 145 New North Road, Eden Terrace. Enquiries: Ph. 09 579 5646 or email [email protected]

Wellington Date/ Time: Sunday 13 March 9am – 8pm Venue: Indian Community Hall, Cnr of Udy and Nelson Streets, Petone. Enquiries: Ph. 04 567 0699 or email [email protected]