GUYANESE Hindus in New York (NY) flocked to the temples to observe the auspicious festival of Shivratri on Thursday evening and on Friday evening because of the uncertainty on the exact night for pujas. Shivratri is one of the most important festivals of Hinduism glorifying Lord Shiva, who is known as the Destroyer in the Hindu Trinity of Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Protector and Preserver), and Shiva. Shivratri is really a night celebration in which devotees keep vigil all night singing praises and offering supplications to Lord Shiva. He is propitiated through the medium of a lingham in which devotees offer jaal (specially prepared milk and or water) at midnight. Shiva is worshipped to ward off dangers and evils assailing mankind. Devotees pray with utmost reverence (bhakti) to the lord seeing God in everything around them.
Shiva can be worshipped on any day but an auspicious day has been set aside annually for the exclusive worshipping of Shiva, the fountain of all cosmic energy and power and the consort of Goddess Parvati (Mother of the Universe) and father of Lord Ganesh (who showers knowledge upon devotees). Shiva’s abode is on Mount Kailash in north India bordering China with his consort Parvati and his children Ganesh and Skanda and his vehicle the bull, called nandi. Shivraatri is observed in the evening. Elaborate puja were conducted in temples and at the homes of devout Hindus throughout the NY metropolitan area.  Virtually all the Guyanese mandirs conducted religious discourses on the evenings preceding the celebration of Shivraatri.
Thousands visited the temples during Thursday and Friday evenings to propitiate the Lord. Shiva is worshipped through the medium of ritualistic poojas, meditation, singing, and chanting of verses from the scriptures. Bliss, piousness and peace pervaded as one can hear the pandit rattling his verses and worshippers paying obeisance. People performed non-stop aartees on the Shiva Murthi and the lingham. Incense burned continuously. Fire glowed eternally in the havan kund as devotees made offerings of samagri and other paraphernalia. The long lines of worshippers offered jaal including water from the Holy Ganges on the Shiva Lingam (stone) which literally means an emblem through which the lord is propitiated.
People attempt to reach the pinnacle of divinity through meditation and concentration in their prayers on Shiva chanting OM NAMAH SHIVAAYA.  The lord bestows auspicious blessings in abundance on devotees who pray and chant the mantra with sincerity. The day is so auspicious that Shiva sheds grace on anyone who even accidentally and unintentionally utters or listens to his name.  Just attending temple one is rewarded with blessings. Worshippers of Shiva gain longevity of life, success, and prosperity in all fields. And through bhakti, one learn to conquer evil qualities such as laziness, restlessness and lust which hinder human progress.
Devotees conducted oblations.  Incenses (agarbati, gugul, cloves, camphor, Kasturi) were burnt as offerings and havan was performed. There were long lines of devotees at the mandirs to make offerings in the kund. Devotional songs were sung with the pandits delivering a discourse on Lord Shiva.