New Delhi: Amid chants of ‘Om Namah Shivay’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’, tens of thousands of devotees thronged temples across the country on Wednesday to offer prayers to Lord Shiva on Maha Shivaratri to seek his divine blessings.
In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led the celebrations as he performed ‘Rudrabhishek’ at the Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur amid religious mantras.
Adityanath said lakhs of devotees have reached Prayagraj, Varanasi and other temples across the country and added that “this faith is a symbol of India’s unity”.
In Prayagraj, more than one crore pilgrims took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam on the occasion as the 45-day Maha Kumbh inched towards its closure.
Maha Shivaratri commemorates the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and holds special significance in the context of the Kumbh Mela.
Varanasi saw a grand early morning procession led by ‘naga sadhus’ and ‘akharas’ to Kashi Vishwanath Temple which was decorated with lights and flowers. The air rang with chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ as the sadhus carrying tridents, maces and swords performed ‘Jalabhishek’.
Similar scenes were also witnessed in the state capital Lucknow with people queuing up outside the Shiva temples to offer milk, water and ‘bel’ leaves to the ‘shivaling’.
The holy city of Ayodhya witnessed a massive influx of devotees on Maha Shivaratri as thousands gathered to offer prayers at temples across the city.
Prayers were also held at Kartikeya Mahadev temple in Sambhal which was recently reopened after 46 years.
President Droupadi Murmu greeted citizens on the occasion and wished that the country would continue to move forward on the path of progress.
In Punjab and Haryana, devotees in large numbers flocked to temples to offer prayers. Long queues were seen outside many Shiva temples.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann extended their warm greetings to the people on Maha Shivaratri.
In Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district, five Shiva devotees, including three minors, were killed and five others injured when their SUV collided with a truck, police said.
In Jharkhand’s Hazaribag, several people were injured after two groups clashed over installation of flags and a loudspeaker during Maha Shivaratri, police said.
It all started when one group objected to the installation of religious flags and a loudspeaker in front of a school in Dumraon village. The war of words escalated into violence, with both sides pelting stones at each other. A number of two-wheelers were also set on fire, police said.