Bhubaneswar: Soon after BMC permitted entry of devotees to religious institutions without any document on Wednesday, the Lingaraj temple administration announced the timing of different rituals and the arrangements for Maha Shivratri, scheduled on March 1.
The officials of the temple administration, priests and sevayats held a meeting presided by Khurda district collector in the temple in the evening to discuss the preparation for Maha Shivratri. It was decided at the meeting that the ‘Mahadeep’ will be lifted atop the temple at 10 pm.
The Abakash rituals of Lord Lingaraj will be performed from 3 am to 3.30 am on Shivratri. The families of sevayats can have darshan of the deity upto 5 am and then public will be allowed inside the temple.
The devotees will be permitted to offer prayer by lighting lamps on the premises. They will not be allowed entry to have darshan of Lord Lingaraj in the sanctum sanctorum. They can offer puja from near Adakhata (outside sanctum sanctorum).
Adequate security arrangements will be made outside the temple to prevent any untoward incident and ensure that the devotees move in a disciplined manner by adhering the COVID appropriate behaviour.
All the nijogs of the priests and servitors have agreed to complete the rituals as per the schedule fixed at the meeting.
