Festive Fervour Grips State As People In Large Numbers Throng To Lord Shiva Temple

Bhubaneswar: One of the most auspicious festivals of India – the Maha Shivaratri is being celebrated today across the country. In Odisha too, festive fervour gripped the people and lakhs of people thronged to Shiva Temples. In Bhubaneswar – the home of Lord Lingaraja, thousands of people queued in lines for hours to have darshan of Lord Lingaraj and offer prayers. Special arrangements have been made by the Temple Administration for the devotees. As the Jagara festivities continue in full swing at the Lord Lingaraja Temple, the Mahadipa is likely to be raised atop the temple at about 10 pm tonight. Seating arrangements have been made inside the temple premises for the devotees.

The Commissionerate Police has also put in place security arrangements for crowd control. Traffic advisories have also been issued for movement of vehicles in Old Town area. As many as 32 platoons of police forces have been deployed for law and order maintenance and traffic control.
Elsewhere, in Dhabaleshwar Pitha in Cuttack, Baba Akhandalamani Pitha in Aradi, Bhadrak, Baba Chandrasekhara Pitha in Kapilash, Dhenkanal, Gupteswar in Koraput and Sri Lokanatha Pita in Puri also witnessed huge crowds thronging to the temples and offer prayers.