Bhubaneswar: Lakhs of devotees made beeline at different Shiva shrines across Odisha for darshan of the deity on the auspicious day of Maha Shivratri on Friday.
Shrines like Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, Chandrasekhar temple at Kapilash in Dhenkanal, Gupteswar temple in Koraput, Ladu Baba temple in Nayagarh, Dhabaleswar in Athgarh, Akhandalamani in Bhadrak and Loknath in Puri are witnessing huge crowd since morning.
Lingaraj temple, one of the oldest Shiva shrine in the state, has been bedecked up with flowers. Illumination of colourful lights on the temple will be an attraction during the evening. Five ADCPs, 18 ACPs, 21 IICs, 84 SIs, and 93 ASIs have been deployed at various locations in four shifts for crowd management and smooth conduct of the festival. Special parking arrangements have been made at various places in the city and CCTV cameras have been installed and police personnel deployed in civil dresses to maintain law and order.
While devotees will light up diyas inside the shrine after offering prayers to Lord Lingaraj, the Mahadeepa will be lifted atop the temple at 10 pm, following which, devotees, observing Maha Shivratri vrat, break their fast.
RITUALS
‘Mangala Alati’ and ‘Abakasha’ rituals of Lord Lingaraj was conducted between 3 am to 3.30 am. ‘Sahanamela Darshan’ will be carried out till 12 pm. ‘Mahasnana’ and ‘Besha’ rituals will be held till 12.45 pm. Thereafter, ‘Surya Puja’, ‘Dwarapala Puja’, and ‘Sakala Dhupa’ rituals will be performed between 12.45 pm till 2.30 pm. Similarly, ‘Bhoga Mandapa’, ‘Sandhya Alati’, ‘Majana’, Jatra Puja, ‘Bedha’ and ‘Sandhya Dhupa’ rituals will be performed at 2.45 pm, 7.10 pm, 7.30 pm, 8.10 pm, and 8.55 pm respectively.
The Twin City Commissionerate Police has also issued traffic guidelines in view of the festival at Lingaraj temple.
TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS
>> Vehicles (four wheelers and two wheelers) en route to Lingaraj Temple from Rath Road and Punama Gate side will be diverted from Badheibanka Square (Muna Medical Store) towards BM High School ground for parking. No heavy vehicles will be allowed on Ratha Road from Mausima Square side.
>> All vehicles from Ravi Talkies and Museum side can park at vacated places near Sanatorium Chhak.
>> Three-wheelers from Samantarapur and Garage Chhak side will be allowed to park at space available on the rear side of Ananta Basudev temple.
>> Four wheelers and two wheelers from Samantarapur and Garage Chhak side can park in the open space available in front of BMC market complex. If required, the vehicles coming from Garage Chhak side will be allowed to park near Purbeswar temple.
>> Vehicles from Keuta Sahi side will be diverted from Kedar lane to BMC market complex/Ananta Basudev parking and other designated parking places via sub-station square.
>> Vehicles coming from Tara Sundari Road will not be allowed up to Badheibanka Chhak and will be diverted from Municipality Hospital to BM High School ground for parking.
It further said that vehicles of invitees/government officials, approaching the shrine via Rath Road, can take a diversion at Badheibanka Square towards the dedicated parking areas via Municipality Hospital Road.
PARKING LOTS
1. Parking No-1
BMC new market complex-for Bus
2. Parking No-2
Beside BMC market complex north side — for Car
3. Parking No-3
Ananta Basudev Temple rear side- for 3 wheelers
4. Parking No-4
Vacate place near Sanitorium Square-All types of vehicles
5. Parking No-5
BMC Hospital north side and beside Papanasini pond- for government vehicles
6. Parking No-6
SM school north side -for government vehicles
7. Parking No-7
In front of south gate of Lingaraj Temple- for VIP
8. Parking No-8
BM High School ground — for 4 wheelers & 2 wheelers (south side 4 wheelers and north
side 2 wheelers)
9. Parking No-9
In front of Lingaraj weekly market- for OB van
10. Parking No-10
Western side of Lingaraj weekly market- for 4 wheelers and 2 wheelers of mediapersons
11. Parking No-11
South side of Lingaraj weekly market- for government vehicles (on duty)
12. Parking No-12
Lingaraj Temple south east corner beside the House of Hari Samartha- for sebayats of the shrine
