Maha Shivratri 2022: 10 best pictures of Shiva's devotees across India

The festival of Maha Shivaratri is celebrated on Falgun Krishna Chaturdashi. Each month on the 14th day of each lunar month, Shivratri is celebrated right before the moon’s phase shifts. Many Shiva devotees worldwide conduct day-long fasts and pray on the occasion while a puja is also held.

Maha Shivratri, literally translates as the great night of Shiva and according to legend, it is on this night that Lord Shiva performs his heavenly dance or tandav. 

Hindu devotees gather to observe the religious rituals and dance on the eve of the Maha Shivaratri festival.

An artist made face paint of lord Shiva in face of a young boy during Maha Shivaratri. Students and street artists dressed as Lord Shiva perform during Shiva Barat 

Devotees perform Maha Rudra- Jal Abhishek Puja on the occasion of Mahashivratri, at Kadipur Shiv Mandir, in Gurugram, India. 

Hindu women are seen offering prayers with Milk and water on the idol of Lord Shiva during Maha Shivaratri Festival at a temple of Kolkata.

Group of Sadhu holy men take part in a religious rally to mark the Mahashivaratri festival ahead of the Shivaratri festival.

Hindu Devotees offer milk and water over a Shivling inside a temple during the Maha Shivratri festival at Preet Vihar in New Delhi.

Devotees stand in the queue as they wait for their turn to offer puja rituals to the Lord Shiva in the Shivratri festival at the Lingaraj temple in the eastern Indian state Odisha's capital city Bhubaneswar.

Naga Sadhus or holy man of Niranjani Akhara take a holy dip in the Ganges River on the occasion of the first royal bath of the Shivratri festival during Maha Kumbh Festival, in Haridwar.

Maha Shivratri is predominantly a Hindu festival, celebrated annually in honour of Lord Shiva, the God of destruction.

A Hindu holy man, or Sadhu, the follower of Lord Shiva, throws ashes as he performs Tandava, a divine dance performed by Deity Shiva.