Maha Sivaratri celebrated with religious fervour

Karimnagar: The Maha Sivaratri festival was celebrated with religious fervour and devotion across the district on Tuesday.

All the temples of Lord Siva reverberated with the chanting of “Om Namah Shivaya” (also called as Panchakshara) and "Hara Hara Mahadeva” by the devotees on the occasion of Maha Sivarathri.

At the ancient Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy devasthanam (also known as Dakshin Kashi) in Vemulawada, several lakhs of devotees participated in the Sivaratri celebrations. People had a bath in the ‘Dharmagundam’ (holy tank) and formed serpentine queues to have darshan of Lord Siva at the temple. The temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the festival.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams priests offered silk vastrams to the presiding deity at Vemulawada. District Collector Neetu Kumari Prasad also offered silk clothes on behalf of the State government along with MLA Ramesh Babu.

The Vemulawada Devasthanam authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the celebrations erecting temporary shelters for pilgrims and formed separate queue lines. Drinking water and parking facilities were provided. RTC operated special buses to the Devasthanam. The panchayat authorities were entrusted the job of maintaining hygienic conditions at the temple. A medical team was also deployed at the Devasthanam to treat pilgrims falling sick. On the other hand, the district police made unprecedented security arrangements deploying additional police personnel.

In Karimnagar town, the Siva temple which was built 1200 years ago, which is also called ‘Karinnagara Kashi’ at Old bazaar and the Siva temple at Bhagathnagar witnessed huge rush of devotees who chanted ‘Om Namah Shivaya’.

Most of the devotees followed strict fasting on the auspicious occasion. Right from early morning, devotees formed queues at temples of Lord Siva and offered special prayers and Abhishekam with milk, honey, ghee, sugar and water to the Lord.

At the Kaleshwara Muktheeshwara Swamy devasthanam in Kaleshwaram of Mahadevpur mandal, the devotees from neighbouring Maharashtra and Chattisgarh have also arrived in large numbers and offered prayers to the Lord after taking a holy dip in the tri-junction of river Godavari, Indravati and Pranahita.

People also visited the ancient Koti Lingala temple located on the shores of River Godavari in Velgatoor mandal and offered prayers.

Khammam: Maha Sivaratri was celebrated with religious fervour and devotion with devotees thronging temples of Lord Siva across the district on Tuesday.

Huge number of devotees, right from the early hours, converged on to Teerdhala under Khammam rural mandal to offer prayers at the historical Sri Sangameswara Swamy temple.

The devotees, on the occasion, took a holy dip at the confluence of three rivulets – Munneru, Akeru and Buggeru before they made a beeline at the temple.

Devotees also offered prayers at Ganapeswaralayam in Kusumanchi and Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple at Snanala Lakshmipuram in Wyra mandal.

According to legend, Maha Sivratri is the day on which Lord Siva got married to Parvati, who is known to be one of the forms of Goddess Shakti.

Although, Sivaratri occurs every month on the night of Chaturdasi (14th day), as per Hindu lunar calendar, the one that occurs in the month of Magha, during Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight), is known as Maha Sivaratri.

Nalgonda: Shaivite temples in the district reverberated with chanting of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ by the devotees, who thronged the temples on the occasion of Maha Sivaratri.

Huzoornagar MLA Uttam Kumar Reddy and TRS steering committee member Palla Rajeshwar Reddy offered special pujas to Lord Siva at Swayambhu Shambu Lingeshwara Swamy temple.

As part of annual Jatara at Mellacheruvu, various competitions, including bullock-cart races, were also conducted. Large number of devotees took a holy bath at ‘Sangamam’ of Musi and Krishna rivers at Wadapally.