Bhubaneswar: The ‘Mahadeepa’ of Lord Lingaraj will be lifted atop Dadhinauti (crown) of the 11th-century shrine in Odisha capital at 10 pm on Maha Shivratri, on Saturday (February 18), marking an end to the day-long fasting of devotees.
A decision in this regard was taken during a preparatory meeting held on Tuesday.
The temple administration has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the rituals on the occasion.
Expecting a huge footfall, the Commissionerate Police is also working towards ensuring smooth movement of traffic and a hassle-free darshan for devotees.
“The preparatory meeting, ahead of Jagara Yatra of Lord Lingaraj, was attended by the members of nijogs, locals MLA and political leaders and concerned officials. Besides smooth conduct of Lord Lingaraj’s rituals, traffic management and provision of water for devotees, parking and toilet facility were also discussed,” said Twin City Commissioner of Police Saumendra Priyadarshi.
At Dhabaleswar temple in Athagarh, the Mahadeepa will be raised atop the temple between 1.30 am and 2 am on Maha Shivratri.
The shrine will be opened for the devotees at 3 am on Maha Shivratri, which falls on February 18. Fifteen platoons of police force, including seven DSPs and one additional SP, will be deployed at the shrine for crowd management and to avoid any untoward incident, sources said.
