Mahashivratri is one of the most important days in the Hindu almanac. This day is always celebrated on the Chaturdashi Tithi or the fourteenth day of the lunar cycle in the month of March in Hindi. This day is devoted to a massive worship of Lord Shiva who is one of the Hindu trinity and is celebrated almost across the country.

The day typically starts with a fast mainly by the woman who seek blessing either for their husband or with a desire to get married. In the Hindu pantheon of gods, lord Shiva is the epitome of the perfect Male and all woman feel a good husband is one who they identify with him. This is the Great Night of Lord Shiva and devotees wait complete year to worship him on this day with complete devotion.

There are many wonderful tales associated with how this day came to be a significant one in the Hindu calendar of events. It is said once a hunter was sitting atop a Bael tree (Wood apple Tree).when he spied on a deer he sat through the night throwing leaves on the ground to entice the deer to come closer so he could hit it with his arrow. Seeing his light and his amazing tenacity, lord Shiva granted him an appearance and granted him the boon of wisdom. Since then the hunter quit eating meat and the day began to be celebrated as the day he appeared to a devotee to grant wishes.

From then on, people have fasted with intense devotion and tried to stay awake through the night. The staying awake in the night is primarily because it is said that he appears at sometime between midnight and  dawn to grant devotees their wishes. People offer flowers & pour milk on his symbolic idol which is a upright round stone, black in colour called the Shivalinga. People also sing hymns in praise of lord Shiva and the flowers of particularly the akanda (Caleotropis Gigantea) and the leaves of the wood apple are offered to please him.

In many places there are giant fairs and festive events that get started on this day and go on for a week where the young and children enjoy happy moments. Although the event takes place with equal intensity all over the country, it is the City of Ujjain, in Madhya Pradesh where celebrations take a much bigger look. It is said that Lord Shiva himself resides in this city which was built by Vishwakarma, the architect of the god. Maayasdeep being one of the leading manufacturers of Camphor Tablets in both pouch pack and plastic containers as  well as many variants of agarbatti have a brisk sale during this occasion.