Festivals · 2027
Maha Shivaratri 2027
Maha Shivaratri is the night of Shiva: fasting, an all-night vigil, bel leaves and milk for the lingam, and sadhus gathering at Pashupatinath.
When is Maha Shivaratri 2027?
Date confirmed each year from the Nepal government calendar.
Maha Shivaratri usually falls February to March (Falgun) and lasts 1 night and the day around it. We add the 2027 dates here once they are published.
Events near you
Maha Shivaratri gatherings across the USA
No Maha Shivaratri gatherings listed yet. Events are added as members and partners join.
Culture
What Maha Shivaratri is
Maha Shivaratri, the great night of Shiva, is kept on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Falgun, usually a couple of weeks before Holi. Devotees fast through the day, stay awake through the night and worship Shiva, one of the three great gods of Hinduism.
Common questions
- Shivaratri kahile ho? When is Maha Shivaratri 2027?
- Maha Shivaratri usually falls February to March. Date confirmed each year from the Nepal government calendar; this page is updated once the 2027 dates are published.
- Why are bel leaves offered to Shiva?
- Bel, or bilva, leaves grow in groups of three and are held sacred to Shiva. They are central to the worship on Shivaratri.
- Do you have to fast completely?
- No. Some keep a fast without food or water, many eat only fruit and milk, and others fast for part of the day. It is a personal choice, and health comes first.
- Who are the sadhus at Pashupatinath?
- Sadhus are holy men who have given up household life. They gather at Pashupatinath for Shivaratri, camp at the temple, and keep bonfires burning through the night.
More in the Maha Shivaratri explainer.