Time-table for Shivaratri at Lingaraj temple finalised

Bhubaneswar: With Maha Shivaratri just a few days to go, the Lingaraj temple administration on Tuesday prepared a time table for smooth conduct of the yearly celebration.

According to sources, rituals at the temple will start at 3 am on Shivaratri ,which will be celebrated on March 7. First ‘Mangala Arati’ and “Abakasa Niti’ will be performed. Other rituals will continue throughout the day.

The ‘Mahadeepa’, marking the end of the puja, will be placed atop the temple crown at 10 pm, the sources added.

A meeting to finalise the time table for the celebration of ensuing Maha Shivaratri of Lord Lingaraj was held yesterday under the chairmanship of Khurda collector Niranjan Sahoo. The meeting was also attended by temple servitors, fire officials, police and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials.

However, the servitors of the four important nijogs - Badapanda nijog, Badu nijog, Bramhin nijog and Samartha nijog of the temple were absent during the meeting.

Another meeting with the servitors of the four nijogs will be held for a successful celebration of Maha Shivaratri, the district collector said.