Devotees in serpentine rows had ‘darshans’ of Lord Shiva at temples all across the country on the occasion of Mahashivratri on Thursday.
Huge crowds flocked to the ancient temple town of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, which is home to the Mahakaleshar temple, considered among the 12 jyotirlingas of India. Mahashivratri is believed to mark the marriage ceremony of Shiva and Parvati and the grand campus of the temple was converted into a marriage ‘pandal’.
Mahashivratri was also celebrated with fervour in Varanasi, with devotees taking out the traditional ‘Shiv-Barat’ (marriage procession of Lord Shiva) and offering prayers at temples. The procession, flagged off by mayor Kaushlendra Singh, was taken out on Wednesday night from the historic Hanuman Temple in Doopchandi at Ahilyabai Ganga ghat and covered the neighbourhoods of Jagatganj, Lahurabir, Kabir Road, Chetganj crossing, Naisarak and Godowlia to reach the main gate of Kashi Vishwanath temple.
In Jammu and Kashmir, displaced Kashmiri Pandit families rehabilitated in Budgam district celebrated the festival in their new homes. About 9,000 people offered prayers at Kameshwar temple at Akhnoor since morning. State governor Lt Gen (retd) SK Sinha offered prayers at Ranbishwar and Har Ki Podi temples. Reports from Srinagar said that hundreds of Hindus visited Shankaracharya temple, situated on a hillock on the banks of Dal lake. -Agencies
