Festival calendar
Festival
Maha Shivratri in the Netherlands
Also called महाशिवरात्रि.
Maha Shivratri is a night rather than a day. The observance is a fast and four rounds of abhishek through the night, each at its own prahar, ending at dawn.
The temples in the Netherlands hold it, and several run through the night. At home the constraint is milk, bel patra and a lingam — bel patra in particular is not sold here and has to be ordered ahead or brought.
What we arrange
- Bel patra, which needs ordering weeks ahead
- Abhishek items — milk, honey, curd, ghee, sugar
- A pandit for the four prahar, or for the first one
- Fasting food for the day, sabudana and fruit
Sourcing takes about 21 days for this one, so tell us by .
Dates
- Maha Shivratri 2026 — Sunday, 15 February 2026
- Maha Shivratri 2027 — Saturday, 6 March 2027
What this usually becomes
Also coming up
- Navratri 202611 October 2026 to 19 October 2026 — Nine nights, then Dussehra. The one festival where the Netherlands has real crowds to join.
- Dussehra 2026Tuesday, 20 October 2026 — The tenth day. Ravana burns, and it is the day people start new things.
- Karva Chauth 2026Thursday, 29 October 2026 — A day-long fast that ends when the moon is sighted — which in November here is not guaranteed.
- Places we can arrange thisWhere a puja, a dinner or a photoshoot actually works, with the practical detail that decides it.
Planning Maha Shivratri?
Tell us how many people and where. We'll tell you what's possible on the date, and what it costs.
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