Shivaratri celebrated with gaiety in Telangana

Prominent Shiva temples across the State were packed with devotees, who performed special abhishekams, archanas and Rudrabhishekhams to mark the occasion

Hyderabad: Devotees across Hyderabad and districts thronged Shiva temples on the occasion of Mahashivaratri on Thursday. From the early hours of the day, devotees made a beeline to Shiva temples across the State which were decked-up with flowers and lights.

For the past few days, in Hyderabad and across the districts, there was a gradual build up for the Mahashivaratri festival, as roadside vendors and wholesale merchants of flowers and fruits established their makeshift stalls at various locations. Fruits were in great demand amongst the devotees, as fating was a key ritual associated with the Mahashivaratri festival. The common belief is that abstaining from food on Mahashivaratri is one of the crucial steps towards spiritual growth.

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Flowers, betel leaves, milk and honey were also in demand on the day, as they are part of the offering on this festival. The Shiva temples in Hyderabad and across the districts including the Kesaragiri Kshetram at Keesaragutta were teeming with lakhs of devotees, who formed queues for darshan of Lord Shiva and also to perform special abhishekams, archanas and Rudrabhishekhams.

Another important aspect of the festival is the Jagaran, the practice of staying awake all night, involved in prayer of the Lord Shiva. As always, various localities across the city held cultural programmes throughout the night, adding to the festivities.

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