Lucknow/Varanasi (UP), February 15 Devotees flocked to Shiva temples across Uttar Pradesh on Sunday to offer prayers on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also performed Rudrabhishek at the Gorakhnath Temple to mark the festival, which commemorates the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
People from across India and abroad were seen queuing outside the Baba Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi after the morning Mangala Aarti.
The CEO of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Bhushan Mishra, said that last year, approximately 12 lakh devotees offered prayers at the temple on Mahashivaratri.
This year, the estimated number is between 10 lakh and 15 lakh, with arrangements made for easy darshan at the 5,00,000 square metre dham, Mishra said.
He further added that zig-zag barricades have been installed for crowd management, and devotees will be allowed to enter from six gates. Medical teams have been deployed at three locations within the dham, he added.
Mishra said that a help desk has been set up, which is continuously assisting the devotees.
In the morning, the temple administration showered flowers on the people queuing outside. The temple will be open to devotees for the next 45 hours continuously.
The temple CEO said that on Mahashivaratri, Kashi Vishwanath Dham becomes a spiritual confluence not only for the country but the entire world.
Offerings have arrived for the dham from 62 major temples across the world, including from Malaysia and Sri Lanka. This year, offerings were also brought from 54 major Jyotirlingas, Shaktipeeths and pilgrimage sites of the country.
In the Barabanki district, devotees in large numbers gathered at the famous pilgrimage site of Lodheshwar Mahadev. The fragrance of incense and chants of "Har Har Mahadev" filled the atmosphere with devotion.
Superintendent of Police Arpit Vijayvargiya said that since midnight, 2.5 lakh pilgrims and devotees have arrived at the temple.
In a post on X in Hindi, Adityanath said, "Today, on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri, illuminated by the welfare consciousness of restraint, meditation, and 'Shivatva', I performed Rudrabhishek with proper rituals and prayed for the welfare of humanity at @GorakhnathMndr. Har Har Mahadev!"
Ashutosh Varshney, convenor of Ram Naam Bank, a Prayagraj-based spiritual organisation, said Maha Shivaratri is an annual festival, which is celebrated to worship Lord Shiva.
According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed during the Krishna Paksha of the lunar month of Phalgun.
Lucknow's Mankameshwar temple also witnessed a steady flow of devotees since early morning on Sunday.
Mankameshwar temple Mahant Divyagiri told PTI that 'falaahaar' (fruit meal) arrangements have been made for the devotees visiting the temple.
She added that some devotees had started queuing up outside the temple since Saturday night.
Devotees in Mathura lined up at Shiva temples, chanting Om Namah Shivaay since early morning. A long queue was seen since early morning at the ancient Bhuteshwar Mahadev Temple.
Mahashivaratri is also being celebrated at other prominent temples like Rangeshwar Mahadev, Chintaharan Mahadev and Gopeshwar Mahadev temple in Vrindavan.
Ayodhya was divided into five zones and 12 sectors to manage the crowd during the Mahashivratri celebrations across the town, Additional Superintendent of Police of Ayodhya Chakrapani Tripathi said.
Surveillance was conducted through CCTV and drones, Tripathi said.
On the auspicious occasion, an atmosphere of devotion and faith was also witnessed in the Etah district. The city’s prominent ancient Kailash Temple, Parson Temple and Ichchheshwar Mahadev Temple in Jalesar were decorated.
Additional Superintendent of Police Shwetabh Pandey said adequate arrangements have been made as pilgrims from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and other states pass through Etah district while carrying kanwars to the Soron pilgrimage site in Kasganj district.
Special pujas and rituals were organised at the major Shiva temples, including Alakhnath, Tivari Nath, Bankhandi Nath, and Dhopishwarnath, in Nath Nagari, Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) Vice President Dr Manikandan A said.
He said Nath Nagari is being strengthened through the symbol of Shiva to promote tourism through religious traditions and culture.
