Ranchi, February 15 Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren participated in Mahashivratri celebrations at Ranchi's popular Pahari temple on Sunday, and inaugurated a religious procession.
Soren also offered prayers on the occasion.
"I participated in the Mahashivratri festival organized at the historic Pahari temple. May Lord Bholenath fulfill everyone's wishes," he said in a social media post.
Located on Ranchi's Ratu Road, the Pahari temple, also known as Phansi Tongri, is situated on a hilltop. A flight of 468 steps leads devotees to 'Pahadi Baba', who is worshipped in the form of a Shiva Linga.
"This year, thousands of devotees arrived on the occasion. I greet them and pray to Lord Shiva for their happy lives," Soren said.
BJP's Ranchi MLA C P Singh was also present on the occasion.
Additional police forces have been deployed on the routes where the religious procession will pass, a senior police officer said.
A large number of devotees offered prayers at various Shiva temples across the state on Sunday, including the Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand's temple town in Deoghar, and the Basukinath temple in Dumka.
Grand religious processions were also taken out in Deoghar, where a tableau depicting the threat of cyber crime through a 'cyber demon' has turned out to be a major attraction.