Maha Shivratri Celebrated at Major Shiva Temples Across Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Large numbers of devotees are celebrating Maha Shivaratri at major Shiva temples across Odisha on Friday.

On this day, the devotees keep a fast, visit to the Shiva shrines and light diyas. They break their fast when the holy Mahadeep is taken to the top of the temple at night.

From early morning huge crowds have gathered at Dhabaleswar, Kapilash, Lingaraj and Lokanath, Gupteswar Shiva shrines. The crowd is expected to rise after evening.

At the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, devotees are standing in a long queue to have a darshan of the Lord Lingaraj. According to Lingaraj temple sources, the ‘Mahadeepa’ will be taken atop the Lingaraj temple at 10 pm.

As per reports, the ‘Mangala Alati’ and ‘Abakasha’ rituals of Lord Lingaraj were conducted between 3 am to 3.30 am on Friday. Subsequently, ‘Sahanamela Darshan’ was carried out from 3.30 am. It will continue till 12 pm. Then ‘Mahasnana’ and ‘Besha’ rituals will be held till 12.45 pm. Thereafter, ‘Surya Puja’, ‘Dwarapala Puja’, and ‘Sakala Dhupa’ rituals will be performed between 12.45 pm till 2.30 pm.

Similarly, ‘Bhoga Mandapa’, ‘Sandhya Alati’, ‘Majana’, Jatra Puja, ‘Bedha’ and ‘Sandhya Dhupa’ rituals will be performed at 2.45 pm, 7.10 pm, 7.30 pm, 8.10 pm, and 8.55 pm respectively. Following the completion of all the rituals, the ‘Mahadipa’ of Lord Lingaraj will be raised atop the temple at around 10 pm.

Similarly, at the famous Lokanath shrine in Puri, arrangements are in the final stages as well. Special ‘Hari-Hara Bheta’ ritual will be held at the shrine followed by the Mahadeep at 4 am.

In Dhenkanal,  thousands of devotees are visiting the Kapilash shrine to have the darshan of Lord Chandrasekhar. A similar rush of devotees was also observed at Gupteswar cave shrine in Koraput district and Mahendragiri in Gajapati district.

Shivaratri or Jagara rituals are also on at the Dhableswar shrine in Cuttack district and Akhandalamani in Bhadrak district.