Thousands Throng At Shiv Shrines On Mahashivratri

BHUBANESWAR: Thousands of devotees on Monday thronged Shiv temples to offer prayer to Lord Shiva at various temples across Odisha on the occasion of Maha Shivratri amid tight security cover at important temples.

The Hindu festival of Maha Shivratri was celebrated with zeal and religious fervour across Odisha. Devotees in lakhs thronged the shrines since morning to seek the blessing of Lord ‘Mahadev’. Lakhs of devotees also congregated in the evening at the Shiv temples to witness the Mahadeep, marking the end of the Puja.

Famous shrines including Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, Kapilash in Dhenkanal, Akhandalamani in Bhadrak, Gupteswar in Koraput, Loknath in Puri, Dhabaleswar in Cuttack, Vedavyasa in Rourkela and Harishankar in Bolangir were bedecked with fancy lights and flowers for the occasion.

Special arrangements have been made to ensure smooth darshan of Lord Shiva at Lingaraj temple on the auspicious occasion.

Several Shiva temples in this temple city were illuminated to attract the devotees in the night to have the glimpse of the Maha Dipa.

Commissionerate police have made elaborate security arrangements and put up barricades for the smooth darshan of Lord Shiva.

DCP Satyabrata Bhoi said around 18 platoons of police has been deployed around the temple to control the devotees.
Police personnel in plain clothes have been stationed inside the temple to keep an eye on mischievous elements. Other security arrangements have also been put in place to enable devotees to celebrate the festival in a peaceful manner, he added.

Barricades have been erected inside and outside the temple to ensure orderly queues for ‘darshan’ of the deity in the temple.

The festival falls on 13th or 14th day of Hindu month Phalgun. Phalgun Amavasya on Monday marked the holy Mahashivaratri. Devotees observe fast and offer prayers to both Lord Shiva and Parvati to receive their grace for a peaceful and blissful life on Mahashivaratri as it is an auspicious festival.