Within Shaivism, certain festivals function as concentrated moments of remembrance in which Shiva is honored not only as a deity but as the supreme reality. Foremost among these is Maha Shivaratri, the “Great Night of Shiva.” On this night, devotees undertake fasting, remain awake in vigil, and immerse themselves in the recitation of mantras such as “Om Namah Shivaya,” as well as scriptural readings. The Shiva Linga is bathed repeatedly in abhisheka with water, milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, and other sacred substances, and adorned with bilva leaves and sandal paste. Many temples conduct special pujas, homas, and processions, while practitioners turn inward, using the austerity and silence of the night to contemplate detachment and the presence of Shiva as the formless Absolute.

Another important rhythm in Shaiva practice is the sanctity of time itself, especially as expressed through lunar observances. The month of Shravan is regarded as particularly auspicious, with Mondays (Somvar) during this period receiving special emphasis. Devotees observe fasts, visit Shiva temples, and perform daily abhisheka of the Linga, sometimes using water carried from sacred rivers. In many regions, pilgrims known as Kānwariyas undertake journeys to collect river water and offer it to Shiva. Beyond Shravan, Mondays throughout the year retain a special association with Shiva, and many continue weekly fasts and simple worship with offerings of bilva leaves, flowers, incense, and lamps.

Shaivism also gives distinctive importance to Pradosha, observed on the thirteenth lunar day of each fortnight during the twilight period. This time is devoted to special evening worship, often including circumambulation of the temple and Nandi, fasting during the day, and then puja with abhisheka, decoration, and arati. The observance is understood as especially favorable for the removal of sins and karmic burdens, with some days—such as when Pradosha falls on a Monday, Thursday, or Saturday—regarded as particularly potent. Kartik Purnima and the broader Kartik month are also revered, especially through the lighting of lamps in homes and temples and, in some regions, the great flame lit on sacred hills such as Arunachala, symbolizing Shiva as an infinite column of light.

Regional Shaiva traditions further deepen this liturgical landscape. In Tamil Shaivism, festivals such as Arudra Darshan or Thiruvathirai celebrate Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer. On these occasions, the Nataraja form receives elaborate abhisheka and ornamentation, accompanied by devotional music, classical dance, and temple processions of Shiva and Parvati. Other observances honor Shiva’s family, such as festivals for Ganesha and Skanda (Murugan), which, though shared with broader Hindu practice, are integrated into a Shaiva vision of Shiva as supreme. Across these diverse celebrations, a common thread runs: the centrality of Linga worship, sacred ash, rudrāksha, mantra recitation, and austerity, all serving as means to remember Shiva both as a compassionate Lord and as transcendent consciousness.