Fasting, darshan, rituals and bhandaras mark Mahashivaratri

Lucknow: Devotees thronged major Shiv temples across the city from Saturday midnight on the occasion of Mahashivaratri, offering prayers and performing ‘jalabhishek' amid chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev' and ‘Om Namah Shivaay' all through Sunday.At Mankameshwar temple in Daliganj, the shrine was decked up with flowers, curtains and LED lights. Devotees stood in serpentine queues for darshan. A bhandara serving sabudana khichdi and kheer was organised for devotees and installations of Nandi bull and Lord Shiv with Parvati, made of cardboard and wood, were set up. In the evening, devotees performed Rudrabhishek, offering milk, curd, honey and ghee to the deity.
A devotee, Sudha Chandaran, said, "I was standing barefoot in the queue for 5 hours, but the moment I saw the deity, all my pain and exhaustion vanished." Another devotee, Jigyasa Dogra, said, "I prayed for the health and prosperity of my husband and children."At Mahakal temple in Rajendranagar, the deity was decorated with hemp (bhang) and flowers, followed by a ‘bhasma (ash) aarti', after which temple gates were opened for devotees. Long queues had already formed outside the temple in the night and worshippers offered water and prayers following traditional rituals. A ‘bhog' of dry fruits, sweets and fruits was offered to the deity. In the evening, maha aarti was performed with 101, 11 and five earthen lamps separately.At Koneshwar Temple in Chowk, the deity was decorated with flowers such as rose, chrysanthemum, hibiscus, jasmine and marigold and was crowned with a floral crown. Jalabhishek was performed by devotees in the morning. In the evening, bhajans were sung and a bhandara of thandai was organised. A devotee at the temple, Trisha Tiwari, said, "I observed fast and prayed for the wellbeing of my family."At Buddheshwar temple on Mohan Road, the deity was decorated with flowers and fruits while a ‘51-mukhi' aarti was performed. Mahabhog, including chhappan bhog, fruits, sweets and dry fruits, was offered to the deity. Bhajans (hymns) were sung by priests and puri sabzi, sabudana khichdi, kheer and fruits were served to devotees in a bhandara.A two-day fair was organised, in which devotees purchased jewellery, clothes, utensils and home décor items. A devotee, Prahlad Raju Bajpai, said, "I observed fast and offered water, sweets and bel leaves to the deity."