Madhya Pradesh: Mahashivratri rush at Ashtamukhi Pashupatinath Mahadev temple

Mandsaur: The number of devotees visiting the district's famous Ashtamukhi Pashupatinath Mahadev temple reached one lakh on the occasion of Mahashivratri. Along with the temple premises, thousands of earthen lamps were lit by people at their homes. Arrangements for 'Char Pahar Aarti' at the sanctum sanctorum of the temple were done by Pandit Kailashchandra Bhatt, Pandit Surendra Acharya, Pandit Purushottam Joshi and others. SP Anurag Sujania, city police in-charge Amit Soni, TI Jitendra Pathak along with 100 cops were deployed at the temple to maintain discipline. Collector Gautam Singh also monitored the system and gave necessary instructions. Other Shiv temples in the district including Dharma Rajeshwar in Garoth, Hinglaj Temple, Pippali Mahadev and others also witnessed huge number of devotees. Bhajan Sandhya was the centre of attraction at many temples.

Shiv Barat held in Badnawar with fanfare

Badnawar: A wedding procession of Lord Shiva was taken out in Badnawar with gaiety and fervour on the occasion of Mahashivratri. After a late-night city tour of the procession, the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati was solemnised at Pipaleshwar Mahadev temple. The Shiv Barat was inaugurated from Shri Baijnath Mahadev temple. Thousands of devotees including women, men and children participated in the procession while chanting ' Har-Har Mahadev'. Cabinet minister Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon also participated as 'Barati'. Various organisations welcomed the devotees by showering flowers at various places in the city. Fariyali Khichdi, ice-cream and water were arranged also for people on fast. On this occasion, all marriage rituals were performed by the women in the temple for the past five days. Prasad of 31k laddoos were distributed among devotees by Baijnath Bhakta Mandal.

Devotees throng temples on Mahashivratri

Garoth: Mahashivaratri was celebrated with great devotion in Garoth on Saturday. In Garoth's Gupteshwar Mahadev temple, Omkareshwar Mahadev temple, Nilkantheshwar Mahadev temple and Brahmachari temple, Shivling was decorated with attractive flowers and Prasad was distributed after Maha arti. Many devotees including women and children reached the temples and worshipped Lord Shiva. At Omkareshwar Mahadev temple in Gandhi Chowk, the prasad of bhang was distributed en masse.

Mahashivratri at Kedareshwar Mahadev temple

Mahidpur: Celebration of Mahashivratri was organised at Kedareshwar Mahadev temple in Mahidpur. On the occasion of the marriage anniversary of Shiva-Parvati, various programmes were celebrated with great pomp by Mahila Mandal with rituals like Haldi, Mehndi, Mandap, Mamera and others. Similarly, a fair of devotees was observed at Nagchandreshwar Mahadev temple, Kishanganj Darwaza Shiva temple, Jaldhara Bhairav Shiva temple, Mukteshwar Mahadev temple and others. A wedding procession of Lord Shiva was also taken out in the city.

11k earthen lamps illuminate Devra Mahadev temple

Manawar: On the occasion of Mahashivratri, as many as 11k earthen lamps were lit at Manawar's ancient Devra Mahadev temple. Thousands of devotees visited the temple over a time span of 24 hours. Dhar MP Chhatarsingh Darbar performed Aarti at the temple. Temple committee workers Dr Kamal Kag, Dr Akhilesh Rawat, Vijay Jaiswal and other devotees decorated the temple with flowers and lights. The committee also distributed falhari khichdi and prasad among devotees. However, they expressed concern over the dilapidated condition of the temple.