India is celebrating the festival of Mahashivratri on Monday, 4 March. The festival is believed to celebrate the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Devotees stay awake all night, singing hymns and prayers. Many of them also observe fast to seek blessings of Lord Shiva.
During the day, ‘Rudra Abhishek’ is performed in the temples, with devotees offering paan, dhatoora, flowers and milk to the Shivling (an abstract representation of Lord Shiva, revered in temples), and cultural programmes are also organised.
Here are some of the wishes and messages to help you express your love towards the people you care about.
“May this Great Night of Shiva become a night of awakening for you.”

Bollywood Celebrities, Cricketers Send Mahashivratri Wishes
From Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar to Suresh Raina and VVS Laxman, Bollywood celebrities and sportspersons on Monday, 4 March, took to Twitter to wish their fans and family on Mahashivratri.
(The Quint is available on Telegram. For handpicked stories every day, subscribe to us on Telegram)