Maha Shivaratri: dates, muhurat and meaning.
The next Maha Shivaratri is on Saturday, 6 March 2027. The date is computed from the classical panchang for Delhi (rule: krishna chaturdashi prevailing at midnight (nishita kaal)). Below are the Maha Shivaratri dates for 2026 and 2027, the day's shubh muhurat windows, and what the festival celebrates.
Maha Shivaratri dates
What is Maha Shivaratri?
Maha Shivaratri means 'the great night of Shiva'. Tradition holds it as the night Shiva performed the tandava, the night of Shiva and Parvati's wedding, and the night the lingam of light appeared before Brahma and Vishnu.
Unlike most festivals fixed at sunset, Shivaratri is keyed to nishita kaal — midnight — when the Chaturdashi tithi must prevail. The fast is broken next morning after the tithi ends.
Muhurat on Maha Shivaratri
The key window is nishita kaal (midnight), not midday. For daytime worship, the Abhijit Muhurat above is the shubh window. Festival-specific puja muhurats like the four praharas are computed in the Bela app.
| Window — 6 March 2027 | Time (IST) |
|---|---|
| Abhijit Muhurat (shubh for all works) | 12:09 PM – 12:56 PM |