The article elaborates on the upcoming festival of Mahashivaratri, which will be celebrated on February 15 this year. During this sacred occasion, temples will resonate with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' as devotees fast and perform elaborate rituals dedicated to Lord Shiva. They will conduct the abhishekam of the Shiva lingam with Ganga water and Panchamrit, and offer various delicacies as offerings to the deity, reflecting the contemporary practices of Shiva worship.

The focus shifts to Ravana, known from Hindu mythology as the greatest devotee of Lord Shiva, and the article details the worship process described in the Ravana Samhita. According to this ancient text, the procedure for Shiva worship begins with purification through bathing, followed by invocation, seating the deity, offering water for arghya, chanting Vedic mantras for purification, applying auspicious substances, incense, lighting lamps, and presenting food offerings.

The article further explains the specific ingredients and items to be used in the worship rituals, such as preparing the Shiva lingam with a mixture of cow dung and earth, along with various offerings like the essence of Kaner flowers, different fruit juices, jaggery, and ash for adornment. Notably, some scholars consider the thumb itself as a representation of the Shiva lingam, highlighting the depth of reverence in Ravana's worship practices.