Festivals are meant to bring joy into people’s lives, especially those rooted in faith and religion. They are intended to promote peace, harmony, and love. However, in recent times, many festivals in India have taken on a more divisive tone. Hindutva-driven narratives have increasingly weaponized these festivals, turning them into platforms for political and religious agendas.
Take Mahashivratri, a significant Hindu festival celebrated with devotion and enthusiasm across India. It symbolizes the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and is also a time for self-purification and spiritual awakening. Devotees fast and stay awake throughout the night. Yet, even this revered festival has not been spared from communal influences. Attempts to incite tensions have been reported in several states, particularly in Bihar, where elections are on the horizon.
In one city, a controversial Shivratri tableau was paraded, clearly aimed at inciting hostility towards Muslims. The Shivratri tableau used the ‘love jihad’, a propaganda term spread by Hindu extremists, claiming that Muslim men have a hidden agenda to lure Hindu women into marriage and then force them to convert to Islam. This baseless rhetoric was part of a broader attempt to provoke communal tensions.
While many Muslim communities have managed to resist such attempts at division, the situation has become particularly volatile in places like Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, where tensions escalated despite efforts to maintain peace. Additionally, the atmosphere has been further tainted by attempts to disrupt social harmony over food-related issues, as the weaponization of identity politics reaches into every aspect of public life.
Here, I have attempted to document some of the hateful incidents that have happened across the country on the occasion of Mahashivratri. These are just a few cases that have gained attention on social media or have been reported by various news websites.
— Agra (Uttar Pradesh): Hindu Mahasabha district president Meera Rathod offered prayers at the Taj Mahal on Maha Shivratri, carrying a Shivling and Gangajal from the Kumbh Mela for the ritual. She claimed that the Taj Mahal is actually a Hindu temple called Tejo Mahalaya and that she was purifying it.
— Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh): An attempt was made to inflame tensions in the area by framing the clash between two groups in the Gwalthai industrial area as a religious issue on social media, claiming it was sparked by a dispute over the Mahashivratri feast. However, the police have clarified that it was simply a fight between two parties, with no religious motive involved.
— Hazaribagh (Jharkhand): Communal violence erupted in Hazaribagh district over the decorations and installation of loudspeakers for Mahashivratri. The situation escalated to the point where both sides engaged in stone pelting, and several shops and vehicles—including four motorcycles, an auto, and a car—were set on fire.
— Indora, Kangra (Himachal Pradesh): A Hindu nationalist mob harassed a vendor outside the Kathgarh temple during the Shivratri Mahotsav for cooking chicken on February 24.
— Jama Masjid (Delhi): On Mahashivratri, a procession was held in the Old Delhi area, which passed in front of the Shahi Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Masjid. During the procession, laser lights were used to project the symbol of “Om” onto the dome of the mosque. To prevent tensions from escalating, the Shahi Imam himself stepped in to defuse the situation and ensure the atmosphere remained peaceful.
— Munger (Bihar): Bajrang Dal organised a Maha Shivratri procession that prominently featured a Shivratri tableau portraying the conspiracy theory of ‘love jihad.’ It included a refrigerator and a mutilated mannequin symbolising the dismembered body parts of a woman.
— Nalanda (Bihar): A Shiv Baraat tableau was taken out on the occasion of Mahashivratri. It is alleged that the procession was attacked by anti-social elements, resulting in one person being injured and several others suffering injuries. The police have taken ten individuals from both sides into custody and are questioning them about the incident. Residents claim that the violence stemmed from a dispute between two groups involved in the procession.
— New Delhi (Delhi): ABVP members assaulted students, including the mess committee secretary, at the South Asian University (SAU) canteen for refusing to comply with their demand to ban non-vegetarian food during Shivratri.
— Rohtak (Haryana): BJP leader Naveen Dhull led a mob in attacking a Biryani shop vendor and forced him to shut down the shop, citing Maha Shivratri.
— Samastipur (Bihar): Hindu nationalists, led by Dipanshu Sinha, harassed a Muslim meat shop owner and forcibly shut down his store, claiming they would not allow it to remain open near a temple during Shivratri, calling it a “sinful act.”
— Sitamarhi (Bihar): Tension gripped Parmanandpur village on the night of Mahashivratri after unidentified miscreants vandalized idols of Lord Shiva. In response, hundreds of residents gathered to protest, blocking roads, burning tires, and demanding swift action against the culprits. Some villagers have expressed suspicions that individuals from a particular community may be responsible for the act. However, the police have stated that no evidence has been found so far to support this claim.
It is also important to note that in recent years, there have been several incidents in which idol desecration was allegedly linked to individuals from Hindu organizations, with the motive being to tarnish the reputation of Muslims and target them.
Amid these developments, there are also reports of Hindu and Muslim devotees coming together to pray in their own ways at the revered Bhanguri Baba’s Thana, a centuries-old temple in Rangmahal, North Guwahati, Assam. While some perform puja, others recite duas in devotion, showcasing a shared respect for the sacred space.
The temple, believed to be over 500 years old, is cared for by Muslim custodian Motibar Rahman, whose family has protected its rituals for generations. Despite being over 90 years old, Rahman has diligently preserved the traditions of the temple, personally overseeing the arrangements for Mahashivratri each year. Under his care, the temple stands as a powerful symbol of inter-religious harmony.
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