Keonthal Glows with Tradition: Mahashivratri Celebrated as Shiva’s Sacred Wedding

In the Keonthal region of Upper Shimla, Mahashivratri was celebrated with devotion and joy, marking what locals call the biggest festival of the year. Unlike other parts of Himachal where the Shivalinga is anointed, here families honor Chandua — a platter of flour rotis — along with Paja (ghutur), symbolizing the divine marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Homes were beautifully decorated, with many villagers painting scenes of Shiva and Parvati’s wedding on their walls. A pavilion was adorned with Nandi the bull, goats, sheep, and offerings of rotis, while the centerpiece — the Chandua — was prepared with bhang leaves, bilva, and other sacred items. Special dishes like kachoris, urad dal, siddu, puris, and fruits were offered before the deity, and families gathered at night for a fire-lit puja, chanting prayers and sharing food together.

Local elders Shiv Ram Sharma of Dharech and Dayaram Verma of Peeran explained that this tradition has been passed down for generations. On the morning after Shivratri, villagers hang the Chandua outside their homes before dawn, and married sisters and daughters are gifted special food called basi — a practice that continues even today, though now carried in bags instead of carts.

For the people of Upper Shimla, Mahashivratri is more than a festival; it is a living bond with their heritage, a celebration of family, and a reminder of the timeless union of Shiva and Parvati.