It is believed that Maha Shivratri marks the amalgamation of two strong forces in the universe which is Shiva — known as the God of death and a vanquisher of evil— with Goddess Shakti.

The occasion and month of Sawan Shivratri or Maha Shivratri is considered extremely auspicious for Hindus who observe it by fasting and worshiping Lord Shiva. As per the Hindu calendar, Maha Shivratri comes every year between the months of July and August. This year it falls on 30 July.

On this day, many devotees will be seen performing the Maha Rudra-Abhishek puja to receive blessings of peace, prosperity and happiness from Lord Shiva. It is believed that Shivratri marks the amalgamation of two strong forces in the universe which is Shiva — known as the God of death and a vanquisher of evil— with Goddess Shakti.

There are several mythological legends associated with this day. According to a popular legend, Shiva granted Goddess Parvati, an avatar of Shakti, a wish to marry him as he was impressed by her devotion. The goddess observed fast for his good health on moonless nights after their marriage.

Indian women still follow the ritual to pray for well being and long life of their husbands. The auspicious occasion of Sawan Shivaratri is observed mostly among devotees in North Indian states including Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar.

Popular and well known Shiva temples in North India, such as the Kashi Vishwanath and Badrinath Dham, host special pujas and Shiva Darshan during this month for lakhs of Shiva devotees.