Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, February 15 Thousands of devotees flocked to the famous Grishneshwar Temple in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, on Sunday to offer prayers on the occasion of Mahashivratri, amidst heavy police deployment.
The district rural police have implemented tight security measures, deploying 450 personnel at the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, which is considered the 12th Jyotirlinga in the country, to ensure smooth crowd management and darshan, an official said.
He said that the police estimate that nearly 4 lakh devotees will visit the temple in Ellora until Monday morning.
"The temple will remain open for devotees throughout the night," a senior official from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar rural police told news agency PTI. "Parking spaces have also been made available at least a kilometer away from the temple this year."
At least 32 officers, 175 home guards, and 250 police personnel have been deployed in the temple area, he added.
Mahashivratri, one of the most important festivals dedicated to Lord Shiva, is marked by prayers, fasting, and night-long worship across the country.