Amazing Shivaratri in Indo-Swedish way:-)

Shivaratri is another festival I have been missing since I am in Stockholm, But nevertheless I can say I got a chance to celebrate it in Indo-Swedish way :-)
It was 11th Feb, early in the morning I decided to fast on Shivaratri even here in Stockholm as usual, I dint know how the day went as I was completely busy in the office, I just took water the whole day, I came back home and finished talking to home people and started preparing Vegetable Upma which is a kind of tradition to eat on Shivaratri at our home with lots of fruits..By 8.30 PM I finished Puja and eating!! Then I wanted to go to temple as I knew they celebrate Shivaratri here.So I took bus to the temple and went there and decided I will be back by 9.30 as it will be late otherwise.

To my surprise there were lots of people not only Indians but also Swedish dressed in traditional Indian dresses!!! They were all looking so cute. Inside the temple they placed a small shivalinga so that the devotees can do Abhisheka with Milk and water, Even I went and put milk on shiva linga, I was feeling content with the kind of environment they created over there, Pujari was chanting Shiva stotram until all the people finish putting Milk on Shiva. Finally he asked all devotees to sit and do Bhajan, The Swedish devotees brought their own musical instruments and few were owned by the temple itself, They started singing one by one Shiva Bhajan.. “Om namashivaya”, “Shiva Shiva Shankarayya Shiva Shiva Shanakara”, “Trayambakam Yajamahe..” and so on...

Oh!! It was so captive.., I completely forgot about my return to home and involved in Shiva Banjan, I realized only when my clock tick 11PM..Even though I wanted to sit, because of less bus frequency I had to getup and come back home, when I reached my place it was almost 12 and I was walking alone... thinking of Gandhiji’s word ...“I would like to see that India where a girl can walk all alone FEARLESSLY at mid night ..” I don’t know when it is possible in India but in Stockholm I was walking all alone at 12 in the night remembering the beautiful Shivaratri I spent :)