Mahashivaratri is associated with Lord Shiva and is celebrated all over India. Shivratri is observed as the night, when Lord Shiva danced the 'Tandav' - his cosmic dance. Lord Shiva is portrayed as the Destroyer in the Hindu trinity (trimurti) along with Brahma (the Creator) and Vishnu (the Preserver). Shiva is also known as Nataraja or Nateswara (Lord of dance). Shiva is characterised by an angry temperament.

On the 14th Night of the dark half of the month Magh occurs the festival of Shivaratri - the great night of Shiva. The devotees stay awake throughout the night offering their prayers to Lord Shiva. A conch is blown to invoke Shiva. They offer special food made from the fruits of the season, root vegetables and coconut. Having observed the requirements of the all night fast, devotees eat the prasad offered to Shiva. Special celebrations are held in some of the major Shiva temples and Varanasi, Kalahasti (Andhra Pradesh) and Chidambram (Tamil Nadu).

Shiva is also associated with Phallus (linga and yoni) worship. Linga worship in effect means worship of the reproduction function.

In some part of India, apart from the fast which one observes on that day and the special prayers that one offers to Lord Shiva there is also another ritual. This is of fermenting bhang an intoxicating beverage. Only when devotees intoxicated with bhang dance to a feverish pitch is Mahashivaratri considered to have been celebrated in its true 'spirit'.