“Mahashivratri,” which literally means “the great night of Shiva”, is a Hindu festival that is celebrated the night before Amavasya (new moon) and this year we observe it on the 17^th of February. Devotees gather together to worship Shiva, one of the three Hindu divine trinities, and pray for the happiness and prosperity of their families & loved ones. (Also learn How to Plan an Event in Your Community using CommonFloor Groups.)

This holy night is believed to be the same night Lord Shiva consumed the deadly poison that emerged from the depth of the ocean and saved the world. Many devotees fast through the day and visit a Shiva temple to offer their prayers.

Here, we list a few ways you can celebrate Mahashivratri in your apartment complex:

Organize a Mantra Chanting Meet: Plan a get-together for the spiritual residents to chant the holy Shiva mantras accompanied with the occasional singing of popular devotional hymns. It’s a spiritual experience that will add more meaning to the celebration.

Conduct an Om Namah Shivaya Program: Meditation along with a group of people is simply a divine experience perfectly suited for this day.

Set up a Bookstall for some Spiritual Read: This will help educate and enlighten the ones hungry for interesting spiritual knowledge. You can also add CDs of ‘aarti’ & ‘bhajans’ to your collection. Follow this with a small ‘aarti’ program in your society’s community hall.

Lastly, add some Food to the Schedule: Offer the holy ‘prasad’ as lunch to resident devotees.

Along with all of this, you can also consider organizing a drawing competition & fancy dress contest centring the theme of ‘Shivratri’. This will help educate the younger population about the importance & history of the festival.