The festival of Maha Shivaratri was celebrated with great spiritual fervour and grandeur at the renowned Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai district on Sunday. Thousands of devotees thronged the temple premises to offer prayers and participate in the sacred rituals.
Speaking to ANI, MoS Home Nityanand Rai prayed for the well-being of all devotees, and reflected on his long-time tradition of participating in the Shiv Baarat as a "charioteer."
A devotee mentioned that the excitement was doubled as the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match coincided with the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri. He said that devotees visiting the temple prayed wholeheartedly for Team India's success in the big game.
Observed on Falgun Krishna Chaturdashi, Mahashivratri is considered one of the most sacred days dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to the Shiva Purana, the festival commemorates the night when Shiva manifested and is counted among four significant nights--Kaalratri, Moharatri, Sukhratri, and
Devotees were seen standing in long queues in several temples, including the revered Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, to offer water, milk, fruits, flowers and other sacred offerings to Lord Shiva.
CM Yogi also extended heartfelt wishes for Mahashivratri, offering his prayers to devotees gathered at the Triveni Sangam in Tirtharaj Prayag for the holy dip.
Vijayawada ACP Durga Rao ensured that the precautions were being taken by the Temple authorities, the Police department, and other District authorities.