The festival of Mahashivratri is being celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion across the country today. From early morning, a large crowd of devotees can be seen in various Shiva temples. The temple premises are resonating with the chants of 'Har Har Mahadev', creating a devotional atmosphere everywhere. At the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Uttar Pradesh, millions of devotees have queued for darshan. After the early morning Mangala Aarti, Abhishek, Rudrabhishek, and special worship rituals were performed. A large number of devotees also attended at the Somnath Temple in Gujarat. At the Trimbakeshwar Temple in Maharashtra, devotees stayed awake all night to worship Mahadev.
Special security arrangements have been made at Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand. The local administration has deployed barricades, CCTV cameras, and additional police forces for crowd control. Facilities for online viewing and live streaming have also been made available at several places. On the day of Mahashivratri, fasting, offering Bilva leaves, and performing Abhishek with milk, curd, honey, and Ganga water hold special significance. Devotees fast all day and stay awake all night. According to religious belief, it is considered that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were married on this day. Therefore, both married and unmarried women perform special rituals.
Arrangements for drinking water and prasad have been made by voluntary organizations in the temple premises. Special traffic arrangements have been made in some cities, and traffic has been diverted on major roads. There is also a large crowd of passengers at railway and bus stations. For the first time after COVID, Mahashivratri is being celebrated on a large scale without restrictions in many places, and there is special enthusiasm among devotees. From young children to senior citizens, everyone is turning towards the temples with devotion. Overall, a religious atmosphere has been created across the country on the occasion of Mahashivratri, witnessing a confluence of devotion, faith, and enthusiasm. The administration is taking care of security, and all systems are ready to ensure the festival is celebrated peacefully and joyfully.