Bhubaneswar: With barely ten days left for Maha Shivratri, the Odisha government has swung into action to ensure smooth conduct of rituals and darshan for thousands of devotees at Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar during the festival on February 15.
A high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anu Garg was held on Wednesday at Lok Seva Bhawan to finalise arrangements and streamline coordination among various stakeholders. This meeting was attended by representatives of servitors, police officials, administrative staff and all key stakeholders to review preparedness for the event.
One of the most revered Shaiva shrines, the Lingaraj Temple has lakhs of devotees worshipping during Maha Shivratri every year.
During the meeting, officials emphasised the importance of maintaining the sanctity of rituals while ensuring proper coordination with temple servitors. The Chief Secretary directed departments to work in close synergy so that devotees can have an orderly darshan without facing congestion or inconvenience. Special focus was laid on crowd management, security arrangements, and timely conduct of rituals throughout the festival.
The review also highlighted the need for adequate facilities for devotees, including drinking water, sanitation, medical aid and traffic regulation around the temple premises.
Authorities discussed deployment of police personnel, installation of barricades and creation of designated entry and exit points to manage the heavy footfall. Steps are being taken to ensure that emergency services remain on standby to address any untoward incident. Coordination with servitors was identified as a key priority, given their central role in conducting the elaborate rituals of Jagara – a key observance on Shivratri.
The administration assured that all necessary support would be extended to servitors to facilitate the smooth execution of traditional practices, which form the heart of the festival.
