Shivaratri Marked Across India

[Guest guest]

New Delhi (Feb 26, 2006): Temples alight with glittering lamps and

crowds of devotees taking dips in holy rivers across the country

marked the celebration of Shivratri, believed to be the wedding of

Lord Shiva.

 

People all over thronged the temples of Lord Shiva elaborately

decorated with traditional lamps on the occasion. Administration all

over the country was geared up to control the crowds for the

ocassion.

 

In Kashmir scores of devotees offered prayers in the various Shiva

temples.

 

The festival is called Herath in Kashmir tracing the surprise of the

Pathan rulers who had forced the people to celebrate the festival in

the summer month of Asara instead of the stipulated Phalguna and

were taken aback by the change in weather conditions which were said

to have come about subsequently.

 

Thousands of devotees from various parts of India offered puja at

the Mahakaleshwar shrine of Ujjain which is among India's

dozen 'jyotirlingas' while five lakh people took holy dips in holy

rivers of Andhra Pradesh particularly river Krishna and lakhs of

devotees thronged the eloquently decorated Shiva temples in Punjab

and Haryana.

 

People began reaching Mahakaleshwar shrine of Ujjain last night.

 

Every year, the occasion is celebrated at the temple whose vast

premises are lit up to resemble a marriage 'mandap'.

 

Today is the grand finale of the 'Navratri Mahotsav' that got

underway on the 'Phalgun' month's 'Krishna Paksha Panchami'. Special

arrangements were made for speedy 'darshan' and the temple will

remain open throughout the night.

 

"The sanctum sanctorum's doors were opened at 0230 hours today and

the 'Bhasmarti' ritual progressed until 0500 hours after which

devotees began 'darshan'. By afternoon, more than 50,000 devotees,

including Madhya Pradesh Power Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, paid

their respects," Mahakaleshwar Management Committee Administrator

Shubhkaran Sharma told UNI.

 

During the 'Mahotsav', Lord Mahakala is clad in attractive masks and

daily decked with ancient ornaments to resemble a bridegroom.

 

Devotees will bathe in the Kshipra tomorrow on the occasion

of 'Somvati Amavasya'. The shrine is an unique example of 'Vastu

Shastra' and India's sole temple where 'Bhasmarti' takes place daily.

 

The annual fair at Acharya Daron temple in Shivwari at Gagret in

Hoshiarpur district of Punjab attracted a large number of devotees

who offered prayers at the shrine. Thousands of devotees visited the

Kaleshwar Mahadev temple and the ancient Ardhnarishwar Mahadev

temple in Hoshiarpur. They also took a dip in the Beas river.

 

In Amritsar, devotees thronged the Shivala Bhaiya temple and offered

prayers and milk at the Shivlingam. Shivaratri was also celebrated

in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala and other places in Punjab.

 

In Haryana, devotees thronged the temples at Kurukshetra and took a

dip in the Brahm Sarowar. In Yamunagar also, Shivaratri was

celebrated where devotees took a dip in the Yamuna river. A large

fair was held at Ferozpur Jhirka in Mewat district to mark

Shivaratri.

 

In Chandigarh devotees visited the Shiva temple in Saketri near

Mansa Devi.

 

In Andhra Pradesh, the Krishna Region of APSRTC is plying about 250

buses from here to Srisailam and different parts of the district for

the convenience of devotees. Crowds of people visited the Shiva

temples on the banks of river Krishna. Kochi in Kerala saw people

thronging Aluva Mangalpuram on the banks of river Periar.

 

SOURCE: WebIndia123

URL: http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?

id=261884&cat=India