Bhaubaneswar: Shiva devotees across the state today are thronging to shrines to offer prayers with observing fasting on the occasion of Mahasivaratri.
All the Shiva shrines including the ancient Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneswar drew large crowds since the early hours on the auspicious occasion.
Elaborate arrangements were made to ensure smooth celebrations at Lingaraj temple which was decorated with colourful blinking lights. Security personnel have been deployed in and around the 11th century shrine to facilitate hassle-free 'darshan' by the devotees.
The main door of the historic temple opened in the wee hours for the devotees who lined up inside the shrine to offer puja, temple administration sources said.
The ‘Mahadeepa’ (Big diya) is scheduled be taken atop the temple at 10pm. The devotees, who wait for this sacred moment, break their fast after this ritual.
Elsewhere in the state, devotees offered pujas at shrines including prominent temples at Kapilas (Dhenkanal), Aradi (Bhadrak), Harishankar (Bolangir), Dhabaleswar (Cuttack), Gokarneswar (Ganjam) and Sri Loknath (Puri) with religious fervour.
In Kapilas, the mahadeepa ritual will be observed after 12 midnight while 10.15 pm has been fixed for the same in Dhabaleswar temple. Similalry, devotees will wait till 10 pm to watch ‘Mahadeepa’ of Sriloknath temple of Puri.