Bhubaneswar: The sacred ‘Mahadeepa’ will be lifted atop the Shree Lingaraj Temple in Odisha capital at 10 pm on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri on February 15.
The festival, which celebrates the divine union of Shiva and Shakti, will be observed on February 15 with special puja being performed across temples. Followers and devotees of Lord Shiva break their fasts in the state only after the ‘Mahadeepa’ is raised atop the 11th-century shrine.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva married Maa Shakti, his divine consort, for a second time on this night. While Lord Shiva signifies Purusha, which is mindfulness, Maa Parvati signifies Prakriti, which is nature. The union of this consciousness and energy promotes creation. Another legend says that Lord Shiva was incarnated as Lord Rudra during the midnight of Maha Shivaratri during the creation of the universe with the grace of Lord Brahma.
The Maha Shivaratri celebrations at Lingaraj Temple starts early in the morning and goes on till the Mahadeepa is raised at night. The lighting up of Mahadeepa, or sacred lamp marks a divine moment when devotees break their fast after a night of prayer and reverence.
Ahead of the auspicious festival, the temple administration held a meeting on Friday to finalise arrangements, focusing on the smooth execution of rituals and ensuring that all necessary safety and security measures are in place. With a large number of devotees set to throng the temple, the administration has prioritised creating a peaceful and devotional atmosphere. As per the decision taken in the meeting, the Mahadeepa will be lifted at 10 pm.
