Maha Shivratri: Devotees Queue Up At Bhubaneswar’s Lingaraj Temple [Watch]

Bhubaneswar Rituals for Maha Shivratri at Shree Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar began after 3 am on Wednesday.

Devotees have started to queue up outside to offer prayers at the shrine.

“… The number of devotees who have arrived at the Lingaraj temple today has surpassed last year’s footfall. We are all prepared and have made exhaustive arrangements. Many senior officers have been deployed in large numbers, and organisations have also been moved in. We are committed to ensuring a hassle-free darshan for all devotees… The rituals will happen all night… The ‘Mahadeep’ will be happening before 10 pm…,” Khurda Collector Chanchal Rana told the media.

All sevayat nijogs have assured timely completion of rituals to allow devotees break their daylong fast with the lifting of ‘Mahadeep’ atop the 11th-century shrine, which has been decked up with flowers and illuminated with lights for the festival, at 10 pm.

Presiding over the final preparatory meeting, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Tuesday requested the nijogs to adhere to the fixed schedules for different ‘nitis’ as the ‘Mahadeep’ of other Shiva temples will only be lifted after it is raised at the Lingaraj temple as per the tradition.

The raising of the Mahadeepa is an important ritual of the festival and draws hundreds of devotees.

“CCTVs have been installed at all the strategic locations both outside and inside the shrine to keep a vigil on possible antisocial activities including chain-snatching and misbehaviour towards women devotees,” Harichandan said.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also made arrangements for drinking water, first-aid, sheds and other facilities for the convenience of the devotees standing in queues.

Meanwhile, security has also been strengthened in and around the temple with deployment of 40 platoons of forces and over 100 officers of different ranks to manage the large influx of devotees. All arrangements have been made for safety and security of devotees, said Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra.

Traffic diversions and parking arrangements have also been made.

Also Read: Traffic Curbs For Maha Shivratri At Bhubaneswar’s Lingaraj Temple

Detailed timeline of the rituals is as follows:

On the day, the temple gates will open at 2.30 am. After ‘mangala alati’ and ‘abakas’, Sahana Mela darshan of the presiding deity will be allowed to the public from 3.30 am to 11 am. After another set of rituals like ‘maha snana besha’, ‘surya puja’ and ‘bhoga mandap’, devotees will be allowed into the sanctum sanctorum to offer prayers from 3.45 pm to 4.45 pm.

Subsequently, mahadeepa’ will be raised atop the temple at 10 pm and ‘Sahana Mela’ will continue till 11 pm.