Shivaraatri Festival

Your online guide to the 2017 Shivaraatri Festival

A simple way to perform the prayer at home


 Prayer must be done facing east(Ganesha must face east)
 Place a betel leave and nut with a flower and a coin on a medium size tray.
 Place Vinayaga on top of the betel leave.
 Offerings of sugar candy avaal kadal, dates, fruit and milk
 1 coconut in front of Vinayaga.
 Light 5 incense sticks and turn it 3 times clockwise around Vinayaga.
 Vinayaga may be invoked by offering flower petals by chanting the following mantra
OM GUM GANAPATAYEI NAMAHA OR POTRI 18, 27 or 108 times).
 Break the coconut
 Turn camphor for Vinayaga 3 times clockwise

How to perform the prayer for the Shiva Lingam

First Jaamam

(6.00PM – 9.00PM) rinse Lingam with water thereafter pour milk, turn camphor, rinse with water, pour rose water, turn camphor. Put 3 stripes with ashes on the head of the Lingam. Place a piece of white cloth over the Lingam and a garland. Light 5 incense sticks and turn. Thereafter offer petals on the Lingam and chant the mantra OM NAMASHIVAYA POTRI OR NAMAHA (108 TIMES). Turn camphor and pray.

Second Jaamam

(9.00PM – 12.00PM) remove everything from Lingam, rinse Lingam with water thereafter pour sour milk, turn camphor, rinse with water, pour rose water, turn camphor. Put 3 stripes with ashes on the head of the Lingam. Place a piece of green cloth over the Lingam and a garland. Light 5 incense sticks and turn. Thereafter offer petals on the Lingam and chant the mantra OM SHIVAYA NAMAOM (108 TIMES). Turn camphor and pray.

Third Jaamam

(12.00PM – 3.00AM) remove everything from Lingam, rinse Lingam with water thereafter pour a little ghee, turn camphor, rinse with water, pour rose water, turn camphor. Put 3 stripes with ashes on the head of the Lingam. Place a piece of red and white cloth over the Lingam and a garland. Light 5 incense sticks and turn. Thereafter offer petals on the Lingam and chant the mantra OM NAMASHIVAYA POTRI OR NAMAHA (108 TIMES). Turn camphor and pray.

The last Jaamam

(3.00AM – 6.00AM) remove everything from Lingam, rinse Lingam with water thereafter pour a little honey, turn camphor, rinse with water, pour rose water, turn camphor. Put 3 stripes with ashes on the head of the Lingam. Place a piece of yellow cloth over the Lingam and a garland. Light 5 incense sticks and turn. Thereafter offer petals on the Lingam and chant the mantra OM SHIVAYA NAMAOM (108 TIMES). Turn camphor and pray.

Please note: that the same garland can be used for all 4 Jaamams and the cloths don’t have to be same as above you can choose your own colours. Offer prasadam of your choice for each Jaamam.

Closing Prayer

Arut-perum Jothi Arut-perum Jothi Thanip-perum Karunai Arut-perum Jothi
(The gracious great light, the gracious great light, the unmatched mercy of GOD as the Great Light).