MAHASHIVARATHRI-Sunday, March 10

Legend of Ganga

Once there lived a King named Bhagirath who observed severe penance to Lord Brahma for a thousand years. His request was to descend river Ganga to earth from heaven in order to wash over his ancestor's ashes to release them from a curse and allow them to go to heaven. His prayers were answered by Lord Brahma who granted the king’s wish. Lord Brahma told him to pray to Lord Shiva for Ganga’s descend. Consequently, Lord Shiva held out his thick matted hair to catch the river while she descended. This eased Ganga’s journey to the earth and her holy waters washed away the ashes of Bhagirath’s ancestors. Ganga thus became an attribute of Shiva and this manifestation of Shiva is known as Gangadhara. 

As such, the devotees of Lord Shiva give a bath to the Shiva lingam during worship. They also take a dip in the holy water of river Ganga on a Shivaratri day.