Strangest Wedding procession- Eve#Writephoto

For visually challenged writers, the image shows the silhouettes of masked figures carrying flaming torches and surrounding a dark and spectral giant.

It was the night of holy matrimonial union of Shiva( the eternal mystical yogi) and Parvati( incarnation of goddess Durga). But when the groom Shiva started his wedding procession to Parvatti’s house, he was accompanied by giants, goblins and ghouls. Some came on pigs and donkeys while some were three legged. Demented beings speaking gibberish and howling like animals followed Shiva who himself was dressed in a strange attire. While riding his bull( Nandi), Shiva was smeared in holy ash, wearing tiger skin, ferocious snake encircling his chest and unkept hair locks. Since Shiva was worshipped by gods and demons alike, nobody wanted to miss the excitement of attending the most iconic wedding ever, hence the unlikely parade!

Princess Parvati’s mother had not seen Shiva and was curious with the earnest desire to welcome her future son in law!! She waited for the procession to arrive with excitement and anticipation. But when she saw the groom, in the peculiar ghostly attire and the crowd of rakshasas(ghouls and demons), she was disdained, hurt and collapsed in disbelief!! Her daughters fate had been ruined, her destiny was cursed, she cried in agony.

Later, only when lord Vishnu and Narada, requested Shiva, lauding him many times, he came in his divine avatar. A beautiful handsome man oozing divinity and mystic. Parvati was finally married off to Shiva in a lavish grand wedding, immortalizing them together forever!!

( The prompt immediately made me recall the strangest wedding procession of Shiva and the famous wedding night in Hindu mythology. The wedding is celebrated as Mahashivratri( the grand wedding of Shiva- Parvati) and it’s one of the biggest religious celebrations in India.)

Written for:- Sue Vincent’s photo prompt : Eve#Writephoto