BAVINA SOOKDEO
On Maha Shivratri, Neval Chatelal and others will perform at the Ramjit and Basso Persad Hindu Temple. To be held on Saturday, the event will begin at 6 pm at the feet of the temple’s 40-foot Lord Shiva statue at Mohepath Trace, St Helena.
Devotees of Lord Shiva are invited to make their offerings on the crystal lingam (an object, usually made out of stone, representing Lord Shiva) while being treated to bhajans (Hindu devotional songs) from Ravi Jagroop, Neval Chatelal, Kavesh the Band and more. The Wasafoli African Drummers and Rana Mohip and Band will also perform for the all-night vigil which consists of four pahars (parts).
[caption id="attachment_1001860" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Children dressed as Hindu gods sit next to a huge idol of god Shiva as they participate in a procession on the eve of Shivratri festival in Jammu, India, Friday. The festival dedicated to the worship of Shiva, will be marked across the country on Saturday. AP Photo[/caption]
Maha Shivratri, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is celebrated on the 13th lunar night into the 14th day during the Hindu month of Phagun. Lord Shiva is known to be the destroyer of the universe but he destroys to recreate.
In an interview with Newsday, Sadhvi Anandamaiyee Giri, general secretary of Brahma Vidya Peetham International, said, “In Sanskrit, Shiva means auspicious one. He is the remover of negativity and the transformer of the negative into goodness. According to Hinduism, the highest form of Shiv is formless, limitless, and transcendental. He is the unchanging absolute who lives an ascetic life on Mount Kailash. The creative power of Lord Shiva is Ma Parvati. His two children are Ganesh and Karthikeya. Ganesh symbolises wisdom and remover of all obstacles and problems from life. Karthikeya is a symbol of power, energy and courageous force in the protection of humanity. Shankar is the first yogi of this creation, teacher of yoga and meditation.”
The swami explained that Lord Shiva has many names and is also known by the name Rudra (god of roaring storm). “Rudra and Agni (fire) have a close relationship so Lord Shiva has the third eye in his forehead symbolising the fire and heat of his divine practice” she explained. “As a great scientist he invented all yoga systems, all rules and regulations of householder life and as a great scholar he gave the light of various books of wisdom. He prepared the Sanskrit language, all techniques of dance and many musical instruments.”
The swami then explained Lord Shiva’s form.
His third eye symbolises fire and burns all desires (Kama) to ashes.
He bears the crescent moon on his head. Due to this, he is referred to in Sanskrit as Chandra Shekar. His body is smeared with ashes serving as a reminder that all of material existence is impermanent and at last becoming ash.
His jata (matted hair) symbolises the ability to control and solve problems by his own head.
The Ganga flowing from atop his head symbolises coolness and bhakti (devotion).
Referred to as Neel Kanth (blue-throate
