Lakhs of devotees thronged Shiva temples across Odisha on Sunday to offer prayers and observe rituals on the sacred occasion of Maha Shivratri.
The shrines were elaborately decorated with flowers, lights, and earthen lamps, while extensive security arrangements were implemented at each location to manage the massive crowds and ensure the smooth movement of traffic.
Massive gatherings of devotees were reported at the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, Dhabaleswar temple in Cuttack, Kapilash temple in Dhenkanal, Akhandalamani temple in Bhadrak, and Chandaneswar in Balasore, as well as the Huma, Loknath, Mahendragiri, Harishankar, and Gupteswar temples across the state.
At the Lingaraj temple, a sea of devotees began queuing as early as 4 am for a glimpse of the deity.
“We have deployed around 41 platoons of police, and mobilised over 200 officers of different ranks at Lingaraj temple,” Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena told reporters.
Special arrangements were made for evening and nighttime, he said.
Similarly, a large influx of pilgrims from Gajapati, Rayagada, Kandhamal, and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh reached the Mahendragiri hills early in the morning, where Gajapati SP Jatindra Kumar Panda stated that five police platoons are stationed to maintain order.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik all extended their warm Maha Shivaratri greetings to the people of the state.
