Maha Shivratri 2024: Here's Why Thandai Is Served as Prasad

Maha Shivaratri is predominantly a Hindu festival that honours Lord Shiva and is celebrated annually as the great night of the deity’s marriage. Maha Shivaratri will be celebrated on March 8 this year. On this day, food items like Ghee, Milk, Thandai, etc., are offered to Lord Shiva to seek his blessings. Among these items, Thandai is one of the most preferred products. According to Local 18 Uttarakhand, there has been a tradition of offering Thandai as a bhog in Shivalaya (temple dedicated to Lord Shiva) for many years.

In the Hindu religion, Thandai holds special importance as a bhog on Maha Shivaratri. Pandit Madan Maikhuri, a resident of Gauchar in Uttarakhand, revealed the reason behind it. During the Samudra Manthan, fourteen types of gems emerged from the ocean. Amongst these gems, there was a poison named Halahal or Kalakuta. Kalakuta posed a grave threat to the earth and to save the planet, Lord Shiva consumed the poison. Due to this, there was a burning sensation in Lord Shiva’s body and the Gods fed cooling foods and drinks to Lord Bholenath (another name for Lord Shiva) to reduce the irritation. Amongst these food items, Thandai provided a great deal of respite to Lord Bholenath from the burning sensation. This is the reason why on Maha Shivaratri, Thandai is specially prepared and offered to Lord Shiva as prasad.

Thandai is replete with medicinal properties and is prepared with ingredients like melon seeds, cashew nuts, almonds, milk, pistachios, cardamom and saffron. These ingredients are beneficial for health.

Thandai helps keep the body cool, improves digestion and provides energy. Apart from Thandai, many other food items can be offered to Lord Shiva on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri.

They include black sesame seeds, sugar, honey, Bel Patra, Sandalwood Paste, etc. According to Pandit Hitendra Kumar Sharma, donating clothes to a poor person on Maha Shivaratri can solve financial problems in your life. This increases the income in the house, gets rid of debt and the devotees get blessed by Lord Shiva as well.