In our investment portfolio – there will always be some investments doing very well and some performing very badly. This festival signifies contemplation of your portfolio.

Maha Shivaratri – observed on the intervening night of Trayodashi and Chaturdashi tithi of Krishna Paksha of Phalguna masa – is celebrated for “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in life and the world through Shiva which literally means – “That, which is not”, meaning looking beyond obvious.

Maha Shivaratri is considered the day when Adiyogi or the first Guru awakened his consciousness at the material level of existence.

Another legend marks this day for solemnising marriage of Shiva with Maa Parvati. It is also believed that on this day Shiva gulped the Halaahal produced during Samudra Manthan.

Significance for your investment

Every festival brings new awareness about your investments and so is this great festival of contemplation. In our investment portfolio – there will always be some investments doing very well and some performing very badly. This festival signifies contemplation of your portfolio. Check out those investments that are not doing well.

Withstanding market cycles

During the vigil night of Maha Shivaratri devotee experience the interval between destruction and regeneration. It symbolises the night when we must contemplate on that which watches the growth out of the decay. It provides us courage to withstand the down cycles in stock markets with the learning that the up cycle will come after the down cycle giving higher returns on SIPs.

Get rid of bad investments

And then apply ‘Shiva – That which is not.’ Look beyond what you can see. Evaluate the future prospects of the same in the light of unfolding developments in the economy and the society. Are they likely to do well in future or their performance is likely to deteriorate further. Take a decision accordingly. For some of your investments you will need to gulp the Halaahal of booking losses and get rid of them if the performance is not likely to improve.

Asset allocation

Different legends describe the significance of this festival. According to one legend this is the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation and destruction. This signifies the importance of diversification in different asset classes to minimise risks and maximise gains through asset allocation.

Align investments with financial goals

It is observed for most of the investors that they have certain financial goals to achieve in future but their investments are done on random basis usually influenced by the environment which includes their friends, peers and media. It’s time to contemplate and align your investments with your financial goals. Keeping your goals in mind you will be able to identify which are the investments that needs to be disinvested or eradicated from your portfolio and add new or generate other one.