Significance of Puja Items

• According to the Shiva Purana, there is a special significance of the six essential puja items used in the Shiva worship.

• Milk is for the blessing of purity and piousness.

• Yogurt is for prosperity and progeny.

• Honey is for sweet speech.

• Ghee is for victory.

• Sugar is for happiness.

• Water is for purity.

• The vermilion paste applied on the linga after the ritual bath represents virtue.

• Offering of fruits symbolizes longevity and gratification of desires.

• Burning of incense sticks yields wealth.

• The lighting of the lamp symbolizes attainment of knowledge.

• Offering of betel leaves marks satisfaction with worldly pleasures.

Tradition of Drinking Thandai
Since Lord Shiva is regarded as an ascetic god, Maha Shivratri is very popular with ascetics. Thandai, a drink made with bhang (cannabis), almonds, and milk, is essentially drunk by the devout on the day as cannabis is said to have been very dear to Shiva.

Mahashivratri is celebrated with lots of devotion and joy by the devotees of Lord Shiva in India.