Mahashivratri 2018: Most Significant Shiva Temples in India To Feel the Power of Devotion

Mahashivratri is one of the biggest and most significant festivals of India and is also among the sacred nights. Mahashivratri is also known as the darkest night of the year. The planetary positions on this night are believed to be powerful for Tantra practices. Devotees of Lord Shiva, believe in staying awake the whole night and many throng temples to get a darshan of their favorite deity.  They not just say prayers but also make offerings of milk and honey on the Shiva Linga.  This day is one of the very auspicious days to visit a Shiva temple. Let us look at some of the biggest temples of Lord Shiva:

1)  Somnath Temple

Somnath temple is one of the 12 jyotirlingas, which have a special place in the heart of devotees. The Somnath temple is located on the western coast of Gujarat in Saurashtra and is one of the most popular and visited Shiva temples in India. The grand architecture of Somnath temple and its importance makes it a must visit for both local and national devotees.

2) Murudeshwara Temple

The Murudeshwara Temple in Karnataka hosts the world’s second-tallest Shiva statue and is famous with Shiva devotees from all over India. The scenic location and the Arabian Sea as the backdrop also makes it a top tourist destination. The photos of this statue is shared widely on social media and networking sites too.

3) Kedarnath Temple

Located in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand, the Kedarnath temple has a special place in Indian mythology. It is also one of the Chardham destinations and can be called the most prominent pilgrim center of India.

4) Kashi Vishwanath Temple 

The Shiva temple list cannot be completed without mentioning the Kashi Vishwanath Temple located in Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The Kashi Temple is sacred and has a record number of devotees attending the Shivratri darshan. The temple is also known for the grand aartis and locals make it a point to attend it. With Kashi known as the land of Mahadev, Kashi temple assumes more significance.

5) Sri Kotalingeshwara temple

Sri Kotalingeshwara temple is home to the largest Shiva linga in Asia. With close to one crore shiva lingas, the Kotalingeshwara temple near Mysore in Karnataka is known all around the world.

Shiva is also known as the 'God of Destruction' and forms the Trimurti along with Vishnu and Brahma. There are many magnificent temples of Shiva all over India that devotees visit on this auspicious festival. All of these temples observe the night of the festival and devotees literally travel from near and far to witness the celebrations of their favourite deity.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2018 05:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).