Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri eNingizimu Afrika: Umhlahlandlela Ophelele Womkhosi Omkhulu ka-Shiva

Maha Shivaratri, okusho ukuthi "Ubusuku Obukhulu buka-Shiva," ingenye yemikhosi ebaluleke kakhulu nehlonishwa kakhulu ekhalendeni lamaHindu, ikakhulukazi emphakathini wamaHindu aseNingizimu Afrika. Lo mkhosi awusona nje isikhathi sokukhonza, kodwa yisikhathi sokuzindla okujulile, ukuzithiba, nokuxhumana namandla omkhathi amelelwa yiNkosi u-Shiva. ENingizimu Afrika, lapho kunomlando ocebile wamasiko avela e-India ngenxa yokufika kwabasebenzi ababeqashwe ngezinkontileka emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, lo mkhosi ugujwa ngendlela ehlanganisa ukuzinikela okungaka nokuhlonipha amasiko okhokho.

Okufanekisela lolu suku wukukhanya okunqoba ubumnyama nokuhlakanipha okunqoba ukungazi. Kwabaningi, uMaha Shivaratri yithuba lokuzihlanza emoyeni nokuqala kabusha, kususwa zonke izithiyo ezingezinhle empilweni. Lo mkhosi uheha izinkulungwane zabantu emathempelini ahlukahlukene ezweni lonke, kusukela eThekwini kuya eGoli naseMgungundlovu, lapho amakhorali, imithandazo, nokunikelwa kwezinto ezingcwele kuqhubeka ubusuku bonke. Kuyisikhathi lapho umuntu azizwa eyingxenye yento enkulu kunaye, ehlanganisa umphakathi wonke ekufuneni ukuthula kwangaphakathi nokuqonda kwaphezulu.

Lugujwa nini uMaha Shivaratri ngo-2026?

Umkhosi we-Maha Shivaratri awunalo usuku olulodwa olungaguquki ekhalendeni lasentshonalanga (Gregorian calendar). Kunalokho, ulandela ikhalenda lamaHindu elisekelwe ekuhambeni kwenyanga. Ugujwa ngosuku lwe-14 (Chaturdashi) lwenyanga ehambayo (Krishna Paksha) ngenyanga ye-Phalguna noma i-Magha.

Ngo-2026, uMaha Shivaratri uzoba ngalezi zinsuku ezilandelayo eNingizimu Afrika:

Usuku: February 15, 2026 Usuku lweviki: Sunday Isikhathi esisele: Kusasele izinsuku ezingu-43 ngaphambi kokuba lo mkhosi uqale.

Lolu suku lubalulekile kakhulu ngoba lubekwe ngokucophelela ngokulandela ukubala kwasendaweni (panchang) kwe-South African Hindu Maha Sabha kanye nokubala kwezinkanyezi eGoli naseThekwini. Njengoba lolu suku lungaguquki, kubalulekile ukuthi amakholwa abheke amakhalenda awo unyaka nonyaka ukuze alungiselele ukuzila nokukhonza.

Umlando nencazelo ye-Maha Shivaratri

Umlando we-Maha Shivaratri ucebile ngezindaba zasendulo nama-purana achaza ukuthi kungani lolu busuku bungcwele kangaka. Kunezinganekwane eziningana ezihambisana nalo mkhosi, kanti ngayinye inikeza isifundo esijulile sokuziphatha nokomoya.

Umshado ka-Shiva no-Parvati: Enye yezindaba ezidume kakhulu ukuthi lolu wusuku lapho iNkosi u-Shiva yashada khona noMama u-Parvati. Lo mshado ufanekisela ukuhlangana kwamandla amabili amakhulu omkhathi: u-Purusha (u-Shiva, omele ukwazi okumsulwa) kanye no-Prakriti (u-Parvati, omele amandla emvelo nendalo). Lokhu kuhlangana kuqinisekisa ukulingana nokuhleleka emhlabeni.

Umdanso we-Cosmic (Tandava): Kukholelwa futhi ukuthi ngalobu busuku, iNkosi u-Shiva yenza umdanso wayo we-cosmic obizwa ngokuthi i-Tandava. Lona ngumdanso wokudalwa, wokugcinwa, nokubhujiswa. Njengomdansi wasezulwini (Nataraja), u-Shiva ukhombisa ukuthi yonke into emhlabeni isesimweni sokushintsha njalo, nokuthi ukubhujiswa akukhona ukuphela kodwa kuyisiqalo sento entsha.

Ukuphuza ubuthi (Halahala): Enye indaba ebaluleke kakhulu ilandisa ngesikhathi i-Samudra Manthan (ukugaywa kolwandle lobisi) kwenzeka. Phakathi nalo msebenzi, kwaphuma ubuthi obuyingozi kakhulu obubizwa ngokuthi i-Halahala, obabunandla okubhubhisa wonke umkhathi. Ukuze asindise umhlaba, u-Shiva waphuza lolu buthi, obwagcina bumise emphinjeni wakhe, okwenza umphimbo wakhe waba luhlaza (yingakho ebizwa ngokuthi u-Neelakantha). UMaha Shivaratri uyisikhathi sokubonga u-Shiva ngalokhu kuzidela okukhulu.

Indlela abantu abagubha ngayo eNingizimu Afrika

ENingizimu Afrika, uMaha Shivaratri ugujwa ngokuzinikela okukhulu nangokuhlonipha amasiko adluliselwe ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane. Nakuba lo mkhosi ugujwa emhlabeni wonke, kukhona izici ezithile ezenza umgubho waseNingizimu Afrika ube ngukhethekile.

1. Ukuzila Ukudla (Vrat)

Abaningi abazinikele baqala usuku ngokuzila ukudla. Abanye bazila ngokuphelele (ngaphandle kwamanzi), kanti abanye badla izithelo nobisi kuphela. Ukuzila ukudla kubhekwa njengendlela yokuhlanza umzimba nengqondo, kuncishiswa izifiso zenyama ukuze kugxilwe kakhulu ku-Shiva.

2. Ukuvusa Ubusuku Bonke (Jagaran)

Isici esiyinhloko se-Maha Shivaratri ukuhlala uphaphama ubusuku bonke. Lokhu kwaziwa ngokuthi i-Jagaran. Emamathempelini amaningi eNingizimu Afrika, imikhonzo iqala ngo-6 ntambama iqhubeke kuze kube ngu-6 ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo. Ubusuku buhlukaniswe ngezikhathi ezine ezibizwa ngezithi "Prahars" noma "Kaalas." Phakathi nalesi sikhathi, kwenziwa ama-puja (imikhuleko) ahlukahlukene.

3. Ukunikelwa ku-Shiva Lingam

Isikhungo sokukhonza singu-Shiva Lingam, ofanekisela amandla angenasiphelo eNkosi u-Shiva. Phakathi nobusuku, abantu abakhonza bathela izinto ezihlukahlukene ku-Lingam, okuhlanganisa: Amanzi angcwele noBisi: Ukuhlanza umphefumulo. Uju neyogathi: Ukunikeza amandla nobumnandi empilweni. Amaqabunga e-Bilva: Lawa maqabunga anezingxenye ezintathu kuthiwa ayintandokazi ka-Shiva futhi amelele amehlo akhe amathathu noma u-Trinity (u-Brahma, u-Vishnu, no-Shiva). I-Vibhuti (Umlotha ongcwele): Ofanekisela ukuthi yonke into emhlabeni ekugcineni izoba umlotha, okusikhumbuza ngokungapheli komoya.

4. Ukucula nokuphindaphinda ama-Mantras

Umsindo we- "Om Namah Shivaya" unanela kuwo wonke amathempeli. Abantu bahlabelela ama-bhajans (izingoma zenkolo) futhi baphindaphinda i-Sri Rudram ne-Mahamrityunjaya Mantra. Lezi zinhlamvu kuthiwa zinikeza amandla okuphilisa, ziqeda ukwesaba ukufa, futhi ziletha ukuthula kwengqondo.

Izindawo eziyinhloko zokuzibonela lo mkhosi

Uma useNingizimu Afrika futhi ufuna ukuzibonela mathupha lobu busuku obungcwele, kunezindawo ezithile eziyizikhungo zomgubho:

EThekwini (Durban): Njengoba leli dolobha linabantu abaningi base-India ngaphandle kwase-India, kunezinkulungwane zamathempeli. I-Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple (Hare Krishna Temple) kanye ne-Shree Sanathan Dharma Sabha yizindawo lapho uMaha Shivaratri ugujwa khona ngobukhulu. EGoli (Johannesburg): Amathempeli ase-Lenasia nase-Midrand abamba imicimbi emikhulu lapho imiphakathi ihlangana khona ukuzindla nokukhuleka. I-Melrose Temple ingenye yezindawo zomlando ezidume kakhulu kuleli dolobha. EMgungundlovu (Pietermaritzburg): Leli dolobha liyisikhungo samasiko amaHindu futhi linamathempeli amaningi amadala abamba imikhosi emihle kakhulu.

Imininingwane ewusizo kubavakashi noma kwabangelona amaHindu

Uma ungeyena umHindu kodwa ufisa ukuhambela ithempeli ngesikhathi se-Maha Shivaratri, kunezinto okufanele uzazi ukuze ubonise inhlonipho:

1. Isikhathi se-Nishita Kaal: Lesi yisikhathi esingcwele kunazo zonke phakathi nobusuku. Ngo-2026 eGoli, lokhu kuzoba phakathi kuka-12:00 ebusuku ngomhla ka-15 kuNhlaba kuya ku-12:44 ekuseni ngomhla ka-16 kuNhlaba. Yilesi sikhathi lapho amandla ka-Shiva kuthiwa aseduze kakhulu nomhlaba.
2. Imvunulo: Gqoka ngendlela ehloniphekile. Abesifazane bavame ukugqoka ama-Sari noma ama-Punjabi, kanti abesilisa bagqoka ama-Kurta. Uma ugqoka izingubo zasentshonalanga, qiniseka ukuthi zihlanzekile futhi azivezi kakhulu.
3. Izicathulo neZinto zeSikhumba: Kufanele ukhumule izicathulo ngaphambi kokungena ethempelini. Futhi, gwema ukuphatha izikhwama noma amabhande esikhumba eduze kwendawo engcwele (altar), ngoba isikhumba sithathwa njengento engahlanzekile emicimbini ethile.
4. Ukudla: Ngaphambi kokuya ethempelini, kuhle ukugwema ukudla inyama noma ukuphuza utshwala ngalolu suku njengophawu lwenhlonipho.
5. Ukuthatha Izithombe: Amathempeli amaningi avumela izithombe ngaphandle, kodwa qaphela kakhulu ngaphakathi endlini engcwele (sanctum sanctorum). Hlala ubuza imvume kubaphathi bethempeli noma kubaphristi.

Isimo sezulu nezinye izinto okufanele uzicabangele

Ngo-February 15, 2026 2026, iNingizimu Afrika izobe isesikhathini sasehlobo esiya ekupheleni. EGauteng naseKwaZulu-Natal: Ithempelesha ivame ukuba phakathi kuka-20°C no-28°C emini, kodwa ebusuku kungase kuphole kancane. Lokhu kwenza ukuhlala ubusuku bonke ethempelini kube mnandi kakhulu. Ukuphepha: Njengoba imikhosi eminingi yenziwa ebusuku, kuhle ukuhamba ngamaqembu futhi upake imoto yakho ezindaweni eziphephile nezikhanyiswe kahle ezinonogada.

Ingabe i-Maha Shivaratri yiholide lomphakathi eNingizimu Afrika?

Lo mbuzo ubalulekile kubasebenzi nakubafundi. E-South Africa, uMaha Shivaratri awulona iholide lomphakathi (public holiday) elisemthethweni eliqashelwa nguhulumeni wonke umuntu athola ikhefu ngalo.

Nansi imininingwane ebalulekile mayelana nokusebenza kwezinto ngalolu suku: Amabhizinisi nezitolo: Wonke amabhizinisi, izitolo, namabhange kuzobe kuvuliwe ngamahora ajwayelekile. Njengoba ngo-2026 lolu suku luwela nge-Sunday, amabhizinisi azofolowa amahora ajwayelekile angeSonto. Izikole neziNyuvesi: Izikhungo zemfundo zizosebenza njengokujwayelekile. Nokho, ngenxa yomthethosisekelo waseNingizimu Afrika ovikela inkululeko yenkolo, abafundi nabasebenzi abangamaHindu bavame ukunikezwa imvume yokungabibikho uma becelile kusengaphambili ukuze bagubhe lo mkhosi.

• Izinkonzo zikaHulumeni: Amahhovisi kahulumeni azobe evuliwe, kanti nezinkonzo zokuthutha umphakathi zizosebenza ngokwejwayelekile.

Nakuba kungelona iholide lesizwe, i-South African Hindu Maha Sabha nabanye abaholi bomphakathi bavame ukuxhumana nabaqashi ukuze kube nokubekezela kulabo abahlale ubusuku bonke bekhonza, njengoba bengase bading lokuphumula ngosuku olulandelayo.

Isiphetho

UMaha Shivaratri eNingizimu Afrika ukhombisa amandla okholo nokubumbana komphakathi. Naphezu kokuba kude nezwe lo khokho babo, amaHindu aseNingizimu Afrika agcine umlilo wokuzinikela uvutha ngokugqamile. Lo mkhosi unikeza wonke umuntu—kungaba ungowokholo lwamaHindu noma cha—ithuba lokuma kancane ematasa empilo, abheke ngaphakathi, futhi afune ukukhanya okungapheli komoya.

Ngo-2026, njengoba kusasele izinsuku ezingu-43, amalungiselelo aseqalile emathempelini nasezindlini eziningi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ukhetha ukuzila, ukucula, noma ukumane uvakashele ithempeli ukuze uzwe ukuthula, uMaha Shivaratri uthembisa ukuba yisikhathi esingasoze salitshalwa sokuvuselelwa ngokomoya ngaphansi komthunzi weNkosi u-Shiva eNingizimu Afrika.