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| Mahashivratri celebrates with religious fervor, gaiety | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu , Feb 12
Maha Shiv Ratri—the great night of Lord Shiva—was celebrated as most important and auspicious festival by the Hindus all over Jammu and Kashmir in particular with devotion and religious fervour.
Generally every 14th day of the dark fortnight is called Shiv Ratri. But the one that falls in the dark fortnight is known as Maha Shiv Ratri since the Jyotir Lingam is said to have appeared on the earth at midnight to remove darkness and ignorance from the planet.
It being an official holiday in the state, the Shiva temples across the region witnessed a huge rush of devotees throughout the day. The migrant Kashmiri Pandit community, which observes Shivratri as the main religious festival, offered prayers last night and celebrated the day extending wishes to relatives, friends and dear ones.
Before dawn a large number of devotees started lining up outside all the Shiv Temples amidst shouting of slogans in the praise of the Lord Shiva to offer prayers. There was a hustle and bustle in all the Shiv Temples of Jammu City as devotees organised special Langers to serve prasad to people. These temples which were tastefully decorated also gave a festive look.
The biggest congregation was at Ranveshwar Temple here where a large number of devotees from length and bredth of Jammu city visited to pay obeisance and participate in Pooja.
The heavy rush of devotees was also seen at "Aap Shamboo" Temple Roopnagar near here where people had to wait in big queues for Darshan from early in the morning. A large number of devotees also visited Peerkoh and Shiv Temple near Tawi bridge to perform Pooja on the occasion of Shivratri today.
All the temples were tastefully decorated as shopkeepers and residents at different places had erected welcome gates and banners to welcome thousands and thousands of enthusiastic devotees who were chanting Har Har Mahadev and Om Namo Shivay.
The City of Temples virtually was gripped with religious fervour with devotees with Jal, flowers and Bil Patri in hands, were seen moving towards temples to offer Jalabhishekh throughout the day. Havan ceremonies were also performed in almost all the temples wherein unprecedented rush of the devotees was witnessed.
Strict security arrangements were also made for the smooth and peaceful celebrations of the Shiv Ratri. There was hardly any temple which was not under the strict vigil of the security personnel and each and everyone entering the temples was being frisked.
Not only in the temples, even the surrounding areas were under the strict vigil of the policemen to prevent the entry of any anti-social element in the temples.
After performing prayers devotees were seen taking dip in the different rivers. Moreover at various places, langers were also organised by the shopkeepers and other religious minded people and all the devotees were offered Parshad.
Despite inclement weather, devotees thronged famous Shiv Khori cave shrine in Reasi tehsil, about 120 km from Jammu, where a three-day festival is being held as a part of celebrations.
The ancient Sudh Mahadev temple, 120 km from Jammu, in Udhampur district was also one of the main pilgrim destinations for the devotees.
The authorities had made elaborate security arrangements by deputing the sufficient policemen outside the temples to avert any untoward incident.
The Shivratri was also celebrated at Kathua, Udhampur, Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts. On the occasion, people from other communities greeted their Hindu brethren.
Besides the Shivratri was also celebrated with traditional religious fervour by the displaced Kashmiri Pandits also. The Pooja and night long Bhajan Kertan in praise of Lord Shiva were held in every KP family during the intervening night.
Reports coming from Chenani said that hundreds of devotees today visited the Sudhmahadev Temple to participate in Shivratri Pooja despite the heavy rain fall.
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