Maha Shivaratri: How the country celebrates 'the Great Night of Shiva'

A yogi offering his prayers on Maha Shivaratri in Hyderabad. (Vinay Madapu | EPS)

A priest cleans 'kuthuvilakku' before the Shivaratri celebrations in Aluva Manappuram. (Albin Mathew| EPS)

A yogi offers flowes to a Shiva Linga on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri in Hyderabad. (Vinay Madapu | EPS)

Devotees perform Maha Shivaratri pooja at 108 Shivalinga Gurukula temple in Mysuru. (Udayashankar S | EPS)

A yogi in Rameswaram performs pooja near the Agni Theertham shore on Shivaratri. (Ponmalar | EPS)

Women sing Shiva keertans during Shivratri celebrations in Visakhapatnam. (RVK Rao | EPS)

A kid kisses the foot of Lord Shiva statue on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri. (Shimoga Nandan | EPS)

Devotee dressed as Lord Shiva during Shivaratri celebrations in Visakhapatnam. (RVK Rao | EPS)

Devotees at Someshwara Temple in Bengaluru, which is said to be the oldest temple in the city, wait in a long queue to get a glimpse of the Lord Shiva on the occasion of Mahashivratri. (Pushkar V | EPS)

A puja plate, filled with flowers, outside Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar on the occasion of Mahashivaratri. (Biswanath Swain | EPS)

Devotees of Lord Shiva form a serpentine queue outside Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar to offer prayers on the occasion of Mahashivaratri on Friday. (Biswanath Swain | EPS)

Special poojas are being performed for deity Kali ahead of Shivratiri at Kaliamman Temple at Madurai. (K K Sundar | EPS)

Devotees of Lord Shiva form a serpentine queue outside the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar to offer prayers on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri on Friday. (Biswanath Swain | EPS)

A priest in silhouette stands atop a stone lion at the Brahmeswara Temple on the occasion of Mahashivaratri, in Bhubaneswar on Friday. (Biswanath Swain | EPS)

A little boy blows the conch as the Srikalahasti temple is seen in the background, on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri ( Express Photo Service)

Maha Shivaratri celebrations in all hues at a parade of performers dressed as Goddess Kali (Express Photo Service)

A devotee determined to pour milk over a Shiva Linga made of many smaller Shiva Lingas, stands on the railing around the deity on the sea shore in Vishakhapatnam on Maha Shivaratri on Friday. (RVK Rao | EPS)