Bhubaneswar/Cuttack/Dhenkanal/Puri: Shiva shrines across Odisha kept under tight security are crowded with devotees observing ‘Maha Shivratri’ today.
Since wee hours today, men and women in large numbers holding a basket containing fruit, milk and puja items have been queuing up outside the Shiva temples to pay obeisance to the Lord Shiva on the auspicious day.
At the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, worshippers were seen standing in a long queue for their turn to get a darshan of the Lord Shiva.
Sources said the ‘Maha Deep' will be taken atop the Lingaraj temple at 10 pm.
For peaceful darshan and crowd control, the Commissionerate Police have set up barricades inside and outside premises of the Lingaraj temple. Besides, CCTV cameras were installed to keep a vigil on the situation.
Also read: Devotees flock to Shiva shrines on ‘Mahashivratri’
Famous 'Jagar Jatra' will be held in the evening on occasion of Maha Shivratri at Kapilash temple in Dhenkanal.
After the evening pujas, Maha Snana and Suna Besha of Lord Shiva will be held at the Kapilash temple. As per the traditions, the ‘Harihar Bheta’ will be performed at the Kapilash shrine before ‘pahada’ in late night.
Sources stated the ‘Maha Deep' will be taken atop the famous Dhabaleswar temple in Cuttack at 1.30 am. Worshippers usually wait for the late night get a glimpse of the ‘Maha Deep’ and have ‘Mandua Prasad’.