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On the thirteenth day of the waning moon in the month of Phagun falls the festivals of Mahashivratri, symbolising the wedding day of Shiv and Parvati. This auspicious festival comes sometime in February and March according to English calendar. This day the married women and unmarried girls perform puja with great faith and fervour, since parvati is considered,'Gaura', the giver of 'suhag'- good husbands, marital bliss and a long and

prosperous married life. Mahashivratri is the most revered festival of the Kashmiri pandits. It is celebrated for sixteen days from the waning moon to the waxing moon. The wedding of Shiv and Parvati is usually celebrated for the last four days continiously.

Mahashivratri normally is celebrated about fourteen to fifteen days before Holi. The preparation for this festival begins 10 days earlier. People give a new look to their houses, buy new clothes and prepare good dishes. The old custom of playing with kauri(sea shell) is prevalent. Rituals and ceremonies are performed with great ardour. On the thirteenth day commences the marriage of Shiv and Parvati which is the actual day of Mahashivratri. The entire family prepare for the festival from the early morning of 'Terash'. The Puja room is cleaned up and the images of Ganesh, Shiv and Parvati are placed in the centre of the room. A lamp is lit in front of the images and agarbattis are also lit. Women fast through out the day, some even 36 hrs. and only take fruits as the main meal.
In Bengal Shivratri is performed with great devotion. The devotees have boiled food in the previous day, sleep in makeshift beds made of straw. On Shivratri day they fast through out the day and make four Shivlings made of clay of the holy river Ganga. These Shivlings are offered puja in four "prahars"(a meassure of time equal to 3 hours)of the night. In the first "prahar" one of the shivlings is bathed in milk. In the second period with curd, the third with ghee and the fourth with honey. The devotees then stay awake the whole night, pray the next morning, listen to sayings, feed the brahmins , offer them dakshina (gifts and money) and finally break their fast. 
In some places Mahashivratri celebrations are confined to the temples. Women who go to the temple take a copper vessel containing milk and water. They carry in their basket leaves of woodapple tree, a wood apple, fruits and flowers and a lamp. The devotees bathe Lord Shiva with the water mixed with milk. Puja is performed and fruits and flowers are offered. After Puja they return home to break their fast with fruits.