For New Delhi
Maha Shivaratri puja times
Nishita kaal (midnight puja)†12:09 am – 1:00 am on 12 Feb · 52 min
- First prahar of the night†
- 6:08 pm – 9:21 pm
- Second prahar†
- 9:21 pm – 12:35 am on 12 Feb
- Third prahar†
- 12:35 am – 3:48 am on 12 Feb
- Fourth prahar†
- 3:48 am – 7:01 am on 12 Feb
- Chaturdashi tithi
- 1:30 pm – 2:34 pm on 12 Feb
How this time is worked out
The night runs from sunset to the next sunrise and is cut into fifteen equal muhurtas (about 52 minutes each in New Delhi that night).
Shiva is worshipped through the night in four prahars, each a quarter of the night†; the main puja is at nishita, the eighth muhurta of the night†, while Chaturdashi runs.
† Practice varies between schools; our faculty is reviewing these rules.
2029
Sunday, 11 February 2029
In 2029 the tithi runs from 1:30 pm on 11 Feb to 2:34 pm on 12 Feb; it is running at the middle of the night (halfway from sunset to the next sunrise) on Sunday, 11 February 2029, so that is the day of Maha Shivaratri.
2030
Saturday, 2 March 2030
In 2030 the tithi runs from 12:23 pm on 2 Mar to 12:01 pm on 3 Mar; it is running at the middle of the night (halfway from sunset to the next sunrise) on Saturday, 2 March 2030, so that is the day of Maha Shivaratri.
How the date is fixed
Maha Shivaratri falls on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the lunar month Magha (Krishna Chaturdashi). The date is the day on which that tithi is running at the middle of the night (halfway from sunset to the next sunrise). In the North Indian (purnimanta) calendar the same fortnight is counted in Phalguna.
About
Maha Shivaratri falls on the fourteenth tithi of the dark half of Magha in amanta reckoning, which North India names Phalguna Krishna Chaturdashi; both point to the same night in February or March. Because it is a night vigil, the governing moment is nishitha, the middle of the night, and the day whose midnight holds Chaturdashi is chosen even if the tithi is absent at sunrise. A monthly Shivaratri is kept on every Krishna Chaturdashi; this one is the annual observance. The night is divided into four praharas with a round of worship in each.
How it is observed
A day-long fast, night vigil and abhisheka of the Shiva linga with water, milk and bilva leaves in each of the four praharas.